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as in to win
to achieve victory (as in a contest) a coach who demands that his team conquer, whatever the cost

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb conquer differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of conquer are defeat, overcome, overthrow, reduce, subdue, and vanquish. While all these words mean "to get the better of by force or strategy," conquer implies gaining mastery of.

Caesar conquered Gaul

How do defeat and vanquish relate to one another, in the sense of conquer?

Defeat does not imply the finality or completeness of vanquish which it otherwise equals.

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

When would overcome be a good substitute for conquer?

The words overcome and conquer are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle.

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

When can overthrow be used instead of conquer?

The meanings of overthrow and conquer largely overlap; however, overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power.

violently overthrew the old regime

When is reduce a more appropriate choice than conquer?

Although the words reduce and conquer have much in common, reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender.

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

Where would subdue be a reasonable alternative to conquer?

While the synonyms subdue and conquer are close in meaning, subdue implies a defeating and suppression.

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

When is it sensible to use vanquish instead of conquer?

The synonyms vanquish and conquer are sometimes interchangeable, but vanquish implies a complete overpowering.

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of conquer Mental illness is something, unfortunately, the medical industry hasn't really conquered. Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 28 Feb. 2025 Many other Republicans, however, were expansionists, who had a continent to conquer. Ryan Shaw / Made By History, TIME, 24 Feb. 2025 Then, in 1453, the Ottomans conquered Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, transforming their place in geopolitics. Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 20 Feb. 2025 These acts of creation, Leontyev explains, become a critical form of resistance against the Russians, whose goals in this war is not only to conquer Ukrainian territory but to eradicate Ukrainian culture. Simon Shuster, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conquer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conquer
Verb
  • The Yankees dominated Saturday against the Houston Astros, winning 9-3.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Honestly, Nevermind dominated in 2022 with 204,000 units.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Every once in a while, a pitfall of community theater is glimpsed, but only momentarily, and here the heartfelt sense of fun overcomes any little shortcoming.
    Matthew J. Palm, Orlando Sentinel, 7 Mar. 2025
  • This Netflix documentary follows three young Brooklyn sisters who join a community track team and, through their dedication to running (and with the support of their team), strive to overcome homelessness, family trauma, and financial struggles.
    Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • While Disney won four Oscars for four separate films in 1953 — becoming the first and only person to do so until now — Baker won four Oscars for one film, setting a new record.
    Caitlin O'Kane, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2025
  • The blockbuster also won Best Sound and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Production Design, and Best Cinematography.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The pub is first and foremost a refuge from women, occasionally a place to display them, more often a scene of affirmation in the business of subduing them.
    Rachel Cusk, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025
  • As the film concludes, Dr. Cawley and Dr. Sheehan exchange a glance before Andrew (a.k.a. Teddy) is apprehended by guards, which indicates that he will be forced to undergo a lobotomy to subdue his violent behavior.
    Nicole Briese, People.com, 19 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The Cardinals defeated the Washington Nationals in Tuesday's exhibition in Palm Beach, Florida.
    Chantz Martin, Fox News, 6 Mar. 2025
  • In the bantamweight main event, Song Yadong defeated former two-division champion Henry Cejudo via technical decision after an eye poke left Cejudo unable to continue.
    Trent Reinsmith, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Herz prevailed Wednesday in a Broward courtroom, where a former mayoral candidate challenged his eligibility to run for office because of murkiness over his past voting address.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 6 Mar. 2025
  • However, the traditional belief that the U.S. dollar and gold have an inverse relationship still prevails.
    Emily Chang, ABC News, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Throughout her childhood, Dee Dee subjected her Gypsy-Rose to years of painful medical procedures that were not needed.
    Angel Saunders, People.com, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Book said the Homeless Trust has been pursuing the partnerships to increase bed capacity and ensure compliance with a new state law that subjects local governments to lawsuits for letting people sleep on the streets.
    Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • There are more and more women mastering engineers but there’s still not that many.
    Charles Moss, SPIN, 26 Feb. 2025
  • Technology can sometimes feel overwhelming, but mastering a few simple tricks can make life much easier.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, Fox News, 25 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Conquer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conquer. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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