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 Ron DeSantis is little more than a year removed from challenging Trump for the GOP presidential nomination only to get blown out in the Iowa caucuses and see his candidacy vanquished. —David Catanese, Miami Herald, 14 May 2025 But after 25 years without an NBA Finals appearance, like the team Indiana will have to vanquish, the Pacers and their fan base have waited long enough. —Bobby Krivitsky, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025 Pro-government networks and broadsheets portrayed Pakistan as an archenemy that Indian forces would soon vanquish. —Vaibhav Vats, The Atlantic, 21 May 2025 The Nuggets must win twice in a row to vanquish a juggernaut of an opponent that won 68 games this season. —Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 13 May 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
  • Ephesus is primarily known as a Ionian Greek city, but it was later conquered and rebuilt by the Romans.
    — Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 7 June 2025
  • Updated June 4, 2025: In 2018, Eva Steinwald was still conquering her fear of heights.
    — Nicole Blanchard, Idaho Statesman, 4 June 2025
Definition of conquer
Verb
  • Yet, as trade tensions subdued, the stock rebounded 30% from its lowest point.
    — Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 11 June 2025
  • Artificial intelligence capabilities are on the way to the iPhone, but applause was subdued throughout the keynote as the company had few surprises to unveil.
    — Kif Leswing,Samantha Subin,Jordan Novet, CNBC, 9 June 2025
Definition of subdue
Verb
  • The pop icons are already dominating iTunes this Friday (June 6), as Americans once again rush to buy music by the Backstreet Boys en masse.
    — Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
  • However, as Ventura and others have stated, that shifted over time and the accused appeared to employ old school pimp tactics to control and totally dominated the woman.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 6 June 2025
Definition of dominate
Verb
  • Mengele sought out twins who arrived at Auschwitz in order to subject them to medical experiments.
    — Olivia B. Waxman, Time, 6 June 2025
  • Foreign governments often engage in smear campaigns against anyone that does not toe the line, subjecting them to public excoriation and private surveillance.
    — Schuyler Moore, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
Definition of subject
Verb
  • That’s supposed to keep immigrant families safe and defeat Trump?
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2025
  • His reign ended as another American emerged, Francis Ouimet, a mild-mannered amateur who defeated Vardon and Ted Ray in a playoff.
    — Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 9 June 2025
Definition of defeat
Verb
  • But your brain might still seek patterns to overcome.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Yet soon one is overcome by Charles Laughton’s creepy, convincing portrayal of Captain Bligh’s sadomasochism: most of the first fifteen minutes is taken up with floggings and other shipboard disciplining of half-naked men, shown in detail while Laughton looks on with long-lipped lasciviousness.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Definition of overcome

Browse Nearby Words

vanity
vanquish
vanquished
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Cite this Entry

“Vanquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vanquish. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of vanquish for Spanish Speakers

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