dominierten

Dominierten is the finite verb form of the German verb dominieren in the Präteritum (simple past) for the third-person plural. It indicates that multiple subjects dominated something in the past. For example: Die Mannschaften dominierten das Spiel in der ersten Halbzeit.

Etymology and meaning: The verb dominieren originates from Latin dominari, likely through French dominer and later English influence. In German, it means to exercise control, to be dominant, or to prevail in a given context, such as in sports, politics, or markets.

Usage notes: Dominierten is used with plural subjects in narrative past contexts. It contrasts with the past participle dominiert, which forms the present perfect with haben (Wir haben das Spiel dominiert). The simple past form also appears in descriptive writing, reports, and historical overviews. When used as an adjective, the related forms follow different patterns (for example, dominierendes Team means a dominant team), but dominierten itself remains a verb form and not a noun.

Related terms and nuance: In contemporary German, dominieren and its forms are common in sports journalism and political analysis to describe periods of control or superiority. Common synonyms include beherrschen and überragen, though each carries slightly different nuance: beherrschen emphasizes mastery, while überragen stresses superiority in comparison.

Overall, dominierten serves as a standard past-tense marker for plural subjects in descriptions of past dominance, while its related forms cover the broader range of tense, mood, and adjectival use associated with the root verb dominieren.