The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
n. Superiority or decisive advantage; domination: "Germany only awaits trade revival to gain an immense mercantile ascendancy” ( Winston S. Churchill).
n. Supremacy; superiority; dominant control; the quality of being in the ascendant
the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English
n. Same as ascendency.
The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia
n. The state of being in the ascendant; governing or controlling influence; domination.
n.Synonyms Influence, Authority, Ascendancy, etc. (see authority), mastery, dominion, superiority, advantage, upper hand.
n. Same as ancestry.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
n. the state that exists when one person or group has power over another
Word Usage
"Benitez had been prepared to use him if necessary on Saturday, with the prospect of overturning Chelsea's 3-1 first leg lead seemingly more remote than catching United, who regained the title ascendancy in unconvincing fashion with their 2-1 win at Sunderland."