vanquish

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 For him, vanquishing that demon for himself and the franchise is personal. Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 June 2025 Hilariously, though, just as the two whip the entire tavern up into an enthusiastic frenzy, someone bursts through the door to declare the war is over and the enemy has been vanquished. Glenn Rowley, Billboard, 30 May 2025 In 2025, in order to win the day’s news coverage, Trump is flooding the media with an unrelenting tidal wave of news content to dominate and vanquish the zone. Jennifer Mercieca, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2025 Becky Lynch finally vanquished her archnemesis Lyra Valkyria at WWE Money in the Bank 2025. Blake Oestriecher, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for vanquish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vanquish
Verb
  • Many of these women, though seemingly silent or subdued, speak volumes through their emotions and inner turmoil.
    Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 June 2025
  • The overall market reaction to the attacks between the longtime regional foes has, admittedly, been fairly subdued since the strikes began late Thursday local time in New York.
    Paulina Likos, CNBC, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • The singer-songwriter first conquered the tally in May 2021 with Latest Record Project, Volume 1.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
  • Oasis were always unashamed in their ambition and bold about conquering the world, but they were staggered by the experience of playing at their club’s home stadium.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 29 June 2025
Verb
  • The right hemisphere of the brain dominates in spatial attention, while the right amygdala is dominant for processing threats.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 30 June 2025
  • The early adopter was Montgomery Ward, but Sears and Roebuck—the Amazon and Walmart of their day—would soon dominate the business.
    Lee Habeeb, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Hwang loudly calls out the flaw of democracy that allows the barest of majorities to subject all to nightmarish policies — even more nightmarish for those who voted against them.
    Michael Ordoña, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2025
  • Congress passed the law that led to its creation based on its power under the Constitution’s spending clause, which allows Congress to subject federal funds to certain requirements.
    Naomi Cahn, The Conversation, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • The Italian became the first man or woman from her country to defeat a top-3 seed at Wimbledon since the Open Era began in 1968.
    Adam Zagoria, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • Unlike other characters that need to jump on enemies to defeat them, DK can throw an endless stream of haymaker punches in all directions and can even rip chunks of rock and the ground itself out to throw with precision.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 1 July 2025
Verb
  • There can be ways to overcome the objections of the people who are concerned that new technology will make their jobs obsolete.
    Edward Segal, Forbes.com, 5 July 2025
  • Bravely overcoming one small fear gives you the courage to take on the next.
    Edward Segarra, USA Today, 4 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Vanquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vanquish. Accessed 9 Jul. 2025.

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