dominant question

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "dominant question" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the main or most important question in a discussion or analysis. Example: "In our research, the dominant question we aimed to answer was how climate change affects biodiversity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

The dominant question in American politics today, scholars say, is the relationship between democracy and the capitalist economy.

The New York Times

When talks begin in Geneva tomorrow, there should be little concern with the formerly dominant question of suspending enrichment at Natanz.

The New York Times

The dominant question that marked the Watergate and Iran-Contra scandals — what did the President know and when did he know it?

The New Yorker

Until the attack in Bali, however, the dominant question in Indonesian politics was whether Mrs. Megawati's election prospects would survive the political damage from Mr. Taufik's business deals, American diplomats said.

The New York Times

Whether policy makers should take big steps to tackle the economic doldrums -- by printing even more money and buying even more assets -- will be the dominant question at the symposium and at the Fed's next meeting on Sept. 21.

The New York Times

— you begin to ask yourself if the liking or not liking of the author as a person is really interesting or illuminating, aesthetically or ethically, as a dominant question when reading a literary biography.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

These are still the dominant questions surrounding the golden boy now grown to peripatetic maturity.

The Guardian - Sport

"It will be of real benefit to our global audience, to see how dominant questions of our time - economics, geopolitics, climate change, immigration, media, democracy and more - are being grasped in such an important part of the world.

The Guardian

Rusbridger added: "It will be of real benefit to our global audience, to see how dominant questions of our time – economics, geopolitics, climate change, immigration, media, democracy and more – are being grasped in such an important part of the world".

The Guardian

One of the dominant questions facing the Internet today is, how can the network meet the needs of the users and their applications Quality of Service (QoS) while trying to keep such implementations scalable to the billions of users present on the Internet?

Computer Networks

Those were two of the dominant questions at the SF MusicTech Summit this week, where representatives from internet radio platforms, music app startups, and the recording industry gathered to discuss, as they did inFebruaryat the same conference, the implications of music's unbridled digital transmission between consumers, as well the expanding opportunities to charge people for that content.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "dominant question" when you want to emphasize that a particular question is the most important or influential one in a discussion or field of study.

Common error

While "dominant question" is grammatically correct, it can sound overly formal in casual conversation. Opt for simpler alternatives like "main question" or "key question" in less formal settings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "dominant question" functions as a noun phrase, where "dominant" modifies the noun "question". It typically serves to identify the most significant or influential inquiry within a given context, as illustrated by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Academia

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "dominant question" is a useful tool for emphasizing the most important or influential question in a particular context. While grammatically correct and widely accepted, as confirmed by Ludwig, it's important to be mindful of the register and choose simpler alternatives in informal settings. Common contexts for its use include news, science, and academic discussions. Alternatives such as "primary question" or "key question" can be used for similar effect. Remember that using "dominant question" effectively focuses attention on the core issue at hand.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

primary question

Replaces "dominant" with "primary", emphasizing the importance of the question.

central question

Focuses on the centrality of the question, its role as the core issue.

key question

Highlights the significance of the question, implying it is essential.

main question

A more straightforward substitution, indicating the principal question.

principal question

Synonymous with 'main question', but slightly more formal.

overarching question

Suggests the question encompasses a broad scope or range of issues.

fundamental question

Implies the question is foundational and essential for understanding.

pressing question

Indicates the question demands immediate attention or resolution.

burning question

Emphasizes the urgency and intensity of the question.

critical question

Stresses the importance of the question for decision-making or analysis.

FAQs

How to use "dominant question" in a sentence?

You can use "dominant question" to highlight the most important issue in a discussion. For example, "The "dominant question" in the debate was the economic impact of the policy."

What can I say instead of "dominant question"?

You can use alternatives like "primary question", "central question", or "key question" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "dominant question" or "dominate question"?

"Dominant question" is correct. "Dominate" is a verb, while "dominant" is an adjective describing the question's importance.

What's the difference between "dominant question" and "important question"?

"Dominant question" implies that it's the most important or influential question. "Important question" simply means the question is significant but doesn't necessarily suggest it's the primary focus.