ascendant vs dominating

ascendant is a noun but dominating is not a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
ascendant	Yes	Yes	No	No
dominating	No	Yes	No	No

As adjectives, ascendant and dominating are synonyms defined as:

Other synonyms of ascendant include ascendent.

ascendant (noun)	dominating (noun)
someone from whom you are descended (but usually more remote than a grandparent)
position or state of being dominant or in control

ascendant (adjective)	dominating (adjective)
tending or directed upward	most powerful or important or influential
most powerful or important or influential	offensively self-assured or given to exercising usually unwarranted power
	used of a height or viewpoint