prevailed; prevailing; prevails
1
: to gain ascendancy through strength or superiority : triumph
2
: to be or become effective or effectual
3
: to use persuasion successfully
prevailed on him to sing
4
: to be frequent : predominate
the west winds that prevail in the mountains
5
: to be or continue in use or fashion : persist
a custom that still prevails
Examples of prevail in a Sentence
Mutual respect prevails among students and teachers here.
The house was built in the style that prevailed in the 1980s.
The law still prevails in some states.
Recent Examples on the Web
On Tuesday, however, the Dukes prevailed with an 89-83 win in double overtime.
—
Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 31 Dec. 2025
Should Netflix prevail, WBD’s cable assets would be split off, effectively stranding the linear networks as the industry leader cannibalizes the content engine for its digital platform.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Dec. 2025
Chilly, gloomy weather prevails as the weekend comes to a close across Maryland.
—Cutter Martin, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
For small business owners, uncertainty prevailed.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prevail
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Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 31 Dec. 2025
Should Netflix prevail, WBD’s cable assets would be split off, effectively stranding the linear networks as the industry leader cannibalizes the content engine for its digital platform.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 29 Dec. 2025
Chilly, gloomy weather prevails as the weekend comes to a close across Maryland.
—Cutter Martin, CBS News, 28 Dec. 2025
For small business owners, uncertainty prevailed.
—Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 27 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prevail
Cite this Entry
“Prevail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prevail. Accessed 31 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prevail
verb
pre·vail
pri-ˈvā(ə)l 
1
: to win against opposition : be successful
our team prevailed
truth will prevail over error
believed injustice should not prevail
2
: to urge successfully
prevailed upon me to play a few tunes
3
a
: to be frequent
the storms that prevail there in winter
b
: to be or continue to be in use or fashion
lower rates prevail in the evening
customs that still prevail
Legal Definition
prevail
intransitive verb
pre·vail
pri-ˈvāl
1
: to obtain substantially the relief or action sought in a lawsuit
2
: to be frequent or predominant
the prevailing rate
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