vanquish

verb

ˈvaŋ-kwish How to pronounce vanquish (audio)
Definition of vanquishnext
as in to conquer
to bring under one's control by force of arms vanquished nation after nation in his relentless conquest of Europe

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb vanquish differ from other similar words?

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

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

When could conquer be used to replace vanquish?

The words conquer and vanquish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, conquer implies gaining mastery of.

Caesar conquered Gaul

How are the words defeat and vanquish related?

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

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

Where would overcome be a reasonable alternative to vanquish?

The meanings of overcome and vanquish largely overlap; however, overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle.

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

When is overthrow a more appropriate choice than vanquish?

In some situations, the words overthrow and vanquish are roughly equivalent. However, overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power.

violently overthrew the old regime

When is it sensible to use reduce instead of vanquish?

The words reduce and vanquish can be used in similar contexts, but reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender.

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

When might subdue be a better fit than vanquish?

Although the words subdue and vanquish have much in common, subdue implies a defeating and suppression.

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

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 vanquish Inflation surged ahead to start 2025, crimping Americans' buying power and serving as a warning to policymakers — whether those contemplating new tariffs or further interest rate cuts — that price pressures are not yet vanquished. —Courtenay Brown, Axios, 12 Feb. 2025 The ceasefire is immensely popular among Americans, and there is little reason to believe that Israel has discovered the secret formula to finally vanquish Hamas and free the hostages. —Jon Hoffman, TIME, 1 Feb. 2025 Well, inflation hasn't been vanquished from the economic menu, so value meals have become a mainstay. —Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 1 Feb. 2025 Democrats must find their Reagan now — a candidate whose utility isn’t just to temporarily sideline Trump but vanquish him and his would-be successors for good. —S.e. Cupp, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vanquish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vanquish
  1. conquer
  2. subdue
  3. dominate
  4. subject
  5. defeat
  6. overcome
Verb
  • As a first-time founder-CEO running a fast-growing SaaS startup, Morgan had conquered his fair share of challenges at high speeds.
    — Alla Adam, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
  • There is no saving the world, no genocidal maniac trying to conquer new realms.
    — Rafael Motamayor, IndieWire, 2 Mar. 2025
Definition of conquer
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
Definition of subdue
Verb
  • Sunday spotlight Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency have been dominating the headlines in the first few weeks of President Donald Trump’s new administration — at times overshadowing the president himself.
    — Andrew Torgan, CNN, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Honestly, Nevermind dominated in 2022 with 204,000 units.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
Definition of dominate
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
Definition of subject
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
Definition of defeat
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 new computing paradigm excels in real-time optimization and predictive modeling, offering unprecedented opportunities to overcome pressing public-sector challenges.
    — Yuval Boger, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
Definition of overcome

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Cite this Entry

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

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