conquer

verb

con·quer | \ ˈkäŋ-kər

conquered; conquering\ ˈkäŋ-k(ə-)riŋ

Definition of conquer

transitive verb

1 : to gain or acquire by force of arms : subjugate conquer territory

2 : to overcome by force of arms : vanquish conquered the enemy

3 : to gain mastery over or win by overcoming obstacles or opposition conquered the mountain

4 : to overcome by mental or moral power : surmount conquered her fear

intransitive verb

: to be victorious

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about conquer

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Choose the Right Synonym for conquer

conquer, vanquish, defeat, subdue, reduce, overcome, overthrow mean to get the better of by force or strategy. conquer implies gaining mastery of. Caesar conquered Gaul vanquish implies a complete overpowering. vanquished the enemy and ended the war defeat does not imply the finality or completeness of vanquish which it otherwise equals. the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas subdue implies a defeating and suppression. subdued the native tribes after years of fighting reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender. the city was reduced after a month-long siege overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle. overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power. violently overthrew the old regime

Examples of conquer in a Sentence

And my girlfriends are really strong, feminine women—yet we can all be girls together. Some days we just have to go out and shop, get a massage … . The next day we want to conquer the world and start our own company. — Sandra Bullock, quoted in Playboy, September 1995 After her initial passionate prayer of thanks for the strength to conquer her vast disappointment, she stayed on her knees, the hassock comfortable … — James Clavell, Gai-Jin, (1993) 1994 It used to be that men "conquered" mountains in a cacophony of gratuitous chest-thumping. — Tim Cahill, New York Times Book Review, 10 June 1990 But however vile the movie, the sentiments it embodies are (as they say) American as apple pie: the west was something to be conquered and claimed. — Margaret Atwood, Survival, 1972 The city was conquered by the ancient Romans. They conquered all their enemies. He finally conquered his drug habit. Scientists believe the disease can be conquered.

Recent Examples on the Web

This, ultimately, is what expedition cruising is about: not conquering, but being lucky enough to see and to listen. — Janice Wald Henderson, Condé Nast Traveler, "These New Expedition Cruises Take Travelers to the World’s Most Remote Corners," 28 June 2019 This was their second attempt at conquering the summit. — Gabrielle Sorto, CNN, "Service dog's summit of Mount Rainier believed to be first on record," 27 June 2019 After producing last year's first-ever LadyLand Festival in Bushwick, she's turned her full attention to conquering the festival space. — Nick Williams, Billboard, "Listen To Ladyfag's Summer of Pride Mix Ahead of LadyLand Festival & U.S. World Pride 2019," 25 June 2019 The big breakthrough toward conquering the equations came from the British mathematician Lewis Fry Richardson, in the nineteen-twenties. — Hannah Fry, The New Yorker, "Why Weather Forecasting Keeps Getting Better," 24 June 2019 Now, after conquering the NFL, the relentless Lewis is making a run at a new, equally lofty target: Hollywood. — Mike Scott, nola.com, "Movie about New Orleans Saints standout Michael Lewis is in the works," 18 June 2019 The plot revolves around a superweapon successfully smuggled onto Earth and sought by the Hive, the universe’s most lethal species bent on conquering galaxies one by one. — Scott Craven, Detroit Free Press, "Not even wisecracking alien Pawny can save latest ‘MIB’," 13 June 2019 Planet Zoo After conquering amusement parks with the superb Planet Coaster, Frontier Developments is setting its sights on more natural environs. — Brad Chacos, PCWorld, "Watch the biggest reveals from E3 2019's PC Gaming Show," 10 June 2019 Cale Boggs' generation dreamed of conquering polio. — Bo Erickson, CBS News, "When a young Joe Biden used his opponent's age against him," 4 June 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'conquer.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.