vanquish

verb

ˈvaŋ-kwish How to pronounce vanquish (audio)
Definition of vanquishnext
as in to subdue
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 Over the course of 10 successful video games, Kratos vanquished mortals, creatures and gods alike. —Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 21 Jan. 2026 What about an Indiana Jones–like explorer, eager to race to the edge of the world to unearth a treasure or two—and vanquish some bad guys as a bonus? —Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 20 Jan. 2026 Boredom would vanquish my attempts to conjure. —Literary Hub, 20 Jan. 2026 Without abiding by the rule of law, a guiding beacon for our democracy will be vanquished. —Miles J. Zaremski, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for vanquish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vanquish
  1. subdue
  2. conquer
  3. dominate
  4. subject
  5. defeat
  6. overcome
Verb
  • Joe Brusuelas, senior economist at RSM US, highlighted a few of those factors when pushing back on White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett’s claim Monday that subdued job gains are primarily the result of lower population figures and higher productivity.
    — Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
  • State Police troopers used a Taser in an attempt to subdue him.
    — Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of subdue
Verb
  • The last hurrah was a free agent spending spree designed to conquer the Dallas Cowboys that resulted in their last championship following the 1994 season, enabling Steve Young to escape the shadow of Joe Montana with a 49-26 win over the San Diego Chargers in Miami.
    — Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 7 Feb. 2026
  • The Ovelyn partition divides but doesn’t necessarily conquer your design, thanks to its minimal and timeless silhouette.
    — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of conquer
Verb
  • The rival bids have drawn scrutiny from antitrust experts and lawmakers, who worry that either death could reduce competition in an entertainment industry already dominated by streaming giants.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Feb. 2026
  • It’s speculated that a runaway greenhouse effect took place on Venus long ago, leading to its dense, thick, hot atmosphere, dominated by carbon dioxide and sulfuric acid clouds.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 5 Feb. 2026
Definition of dominate
Verb
  • Revelations in 2020 that Boohoo’s Leicester contractors were subjecting their workers to exploitative pay and unsafe conditions certainly sullied the Midlands city’s reputation.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 6 Feb. 2026
  • The environmental group has argued that the exchange of funds between the state and federal governments is the trigger that would subject the Everglades detention center to environmental impact assessment regulations.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of subject
Verb
  • The Magic rallied from 17 points down to win 120-117, but the Jazz defeated the Heat 115-111.
    — Mark Anderson, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The Cyclones, who are 13-0 at Hilton Coliseum this season, have defeated the Jayhawks three straight years in the building.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of defeat
Verb
  • Tian Feng, former dean of SenseTime’s Intelligence Industry Research Institute, revealed that the free provision of T800 robots will help smaller companies overcome research and development barriers.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 10 Feb. 2026
  • The first obstacle to overcome is to develop a computer chip that works in the extreme conditions of space, which includes exposure to much higher levels of radiation.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
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 15 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on vanquish

Nglish: Translation of vanquish for Spanish Speakers

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