We construct the minimal resolutions of three classes of monomial ideals: dominant, 1-semidominant, and 2-semidominant ideals. The families of dominant and 1-semidominant ideals extend those of complete and almost complete intersections. We show that dominant ideals give a precise characterization of when the Taylor resolution is minimal, 1-semidominant ideals are Scarf, and the minimal resolutions of 2-semidominant ideals can be obtained from their Taylor resolutions by eliminating faces and facets of equal multidegree, in arbitrary order. We study the combinatorial properties of these classes of ideals and explain how they relate to generic ideals. We also give a partial solution to three open problems on syzygies.