vanquished
adjective
van·quished
ˈvaŋ-kwisht 
ˈvan-
: overcome or defeated in battle or in a conflict or contest
a vanquished foe
In the dim light he could see Leslie's face freeze into its most queenly pose—the kind of expression she usually reserved for vanquished enemies.—
Katherine Paterson
Katherine PatersonWhen this morning race was over, the Brown oarsmen waited at their boat house for their vanquished competitors to come around and hand over their rowing shirts, each with its distinctive colors and design.—William N. Wallace
William N. WallaceExiting at 35th Street, we pass the new Comiskey Park with its vanquished predecessor now reduced to a placeless parking complex across the street …—Thomas J. Jablonsky
Thomas J. JablonskyExamples of vanquished in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
As the vanquished fish descends through the darkness, other sharks arrive to feast on its remains while the mako, its belly full, circles slowly upward, seeking the surface to bask in the sun.
—Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
The first, which was not part of the Venice installation, is a monumental bronze sculpture made at the turn of the 20th century by Charles Carey Ramsey, titled The Dying Indian, which belongs to a tradition of works that seemed to speak to a level of nobility among the vanquished Native Americans.
—Tom Teicholz, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
And in the vanquished states, people scrabbled for existence amid starvation and humiliation.
—Max Hastings, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2013
With the emphasis on ‘vanquished’, or as the title indicates, ‘dying’.
—Tom Teicholz, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for vanquished
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Pat Smith, Outdoor Life, 24 July 2025
The first, which was not part of the Venice installation, is a monumental bronze sculpture made at the turn of the 20th century by Charles Carey Ramsey, titled The Dying Indian, which belongs to a tradition of works that seemed to speak to a level of nobility among the vanquished Native Americans.
—Tom Teicholz, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
And in the vanquished states, people scrabbled for existence amid starvation and humiliation.
—Max Hastings, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2013
With the emphasis on ‘vanquished’, or as the title indicates, ‘dying’.
—Tom Teicholz, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for vanquished
Cite this Entry
“Vanquished.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vanquished. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share