conqueror

noun

con·​quer·​or ˈkäŋ-kər-ər 

plural conquerors

: one who conquers : one who wins a country in war, subdues or subjugates a people, or overcomes an adversary

The year 1570 brought yet another conqueror, the Ottoman Empire.

—Alan Weisman

In Cleopatra … the Roman conqueror met his equal, at least for proud independence and clear-eyed ruthlessness.

—Ingrid D. Rowland

William the Conqueror

Synonyms

• beater
• master
• subduer
• trimmer
• vanquisher
• victor
• whipper
• winner

Examples of conqueror in a Sentence

hailed as conqueror of the barbarian forces

Recent Examples on the Web

His attitude was in line with the consensus of his era, a time when urban elites ruled unchallenged over Andean countries that remained very much the home of conquerors and the conquered. —Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025

But the story ends abruptly with the English fleeing William and his conquerors after the Battle of Hastings in October 1066. —Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Mar. 2025

Over the centuries, the temples suffered severe damage from conquerors, wars, and earthquakes. —Irene S. Levine, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025

Theirs is the other grand story from would-be California conquerors. —Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above