dominant

Compared meaning: having the highest power or importance (adjective).

比较义项：在权力、地位或重要性上居于最高或主导地位（形容词）。

• dominant 本词

  Describes the strongest or most influential member within a group, such as an animal, personality or market player; can follow 'be' or modify a noun directly.

  指群体中最强势或最有影响力的一个，比如某只动物、某个人物或某市场参与者；可以用在系动词后面，也可以直接修饰名词。

  The wolf pack has a dominant female who leads the hunts.

  这群狼中有一只占支配地位的母狼，负责带领捕猎行动。

• supreme

  Describes the highest position in a formal hierarchy of rank, authority or quality; formal and often legal in register, typically paired with courts, rulers or a superlative quality.

  指在正式等级、权力或程度上处于最高地位；语体正式，常带有法律色彩，常与法院、统治者或表示极致程度的词搭配使用。

  The nation's supreme court has the final word on constitutional issues.

  该国最高法院对宪法问题拥有最终决定权。

• governing

  Describes a body, document or rule that holds official authority to administer or control something; almost always placed before a noun such as council, body or law.

  指某个机构、文件或规则拥有官方权力去管理或控制某事物；几乎总是放在理事会、机构或法律等名词前面。

  The city's governing council votes on the new budget tonight.

  该市的管理理事会今晚就新预算投票表决。

• paramount

  Means more important than anything else, especially for abstract concerns like safety or importance; almost always used after 'be', rarely modifying a noun except in fixed phrases.

  表示比其他任何事都更重要，尤其用于安全、重要性等抽象事物；几乎总是用在系动词后面，很少直接修饰名词，只有少数固定搭配例外。

  In a hospital, patient safety is paramount at every stage.

  在医院里，患者安全在每个环节都至关重要。

Dominant, supreme, governing, and paramount can all mean having the highest power, but their use differs. Dominant means the strongest member in a group. Supreme means the highest position in a formal hierarchy. Governing means having official authority. Paramount means more important than anything else.

这四个词都表示某种“最高”或“最强”的地位，但语境和搭配有所不同：dominant强调群体中最强势的个体，supreme强调正式等级或程度上的最高点，governing强调有权管理某事的机构或规则，paramount强调抽象事物（如安全）的极端重要性。这里不比较dominant在遗传学中表示“显性基因”的意思，也不比较supreme表示“至高的存在”（如上帝）或“supreme sacrifice”（牺牲一切）时的引申义。

Compared meaning: most common or most noticeable (adjective).

比较义项：最显著的、占主导地位的；普遍存在的（形容词）。

• dominant 本词

  Dominant implies power, control or influence over others, not merely being the most frequent; typically used for individuals, groups or forces that assert control.

  dominant含有凭借力量、控制力或影响力压制其他事物的意味，而不只是数量上最多；常用于对个体、群体或起支配作用的力量的描述。

  The dominant male gorilla controls access to food and mates.

  占支配地位的雄性大猩猩掌控着食物和配偶的分配权。

• prevalent

  Prevalent describes something widespread or common across a population, time period or place, with no sense of competing with or standing out among alternatives.

  prevalent表示某事物在某个人群、时期或地区内广泛存在、十分常见，不含与其他事物竞争或格外突出的意味。

  Obesity has become prevalent in many industrialized countries over the past decade.

  在过去十年里，肥胖症在许多工业化国家变得十分普遍。

• predominant

  Predominant marks one thing as the main or most common type among several present alternatives, often describing a color, style or feature, without implying power.

  predominant强调在若干并存的选项中，某一事物是最主要或最常见的一种，常用于描述颜色、风格或特征，不含支配力的意味。

  Red is the predominant color in her paintings from that period.

  红色是她那个时期画作中最主要的颜色。

Dominant, prevalent, and predominant can all describe something most common, but the focus differs. Dominant implies power or control, not just frequency. Prevalent describes something widespread across a population or place, with no control. Predominant marks one thing as the main type among options.

这三个词都可用来说明某事物在其所处范围内最常见或最突出，但侧重点不同：dominant强调凭借力量或影响力对其他事物形成支配；predominant强调在若干可选项中是最主要、最常见的一种，不含支配的意味；prevalent强调在某个人群、时期或地区内广泛存在、十分常见。