prevailed; prevailing; prevails
1
: to gain ascendancy through strength or superiority : triumph
2
: to be or become effective or effectual
3
: to use persuasion successfully
prevailed on him to sing
4
: to be frequent : predominate
the west winds that prevail in the mountains
5
: to be or continue in use or fashion : persist
a custom that still prevails
Examples of prevail in a Sentence
Mutual respect prevails among students and teachers here.
The house was built in the style that prevailed in the 1980s.
The law still prevails in some states.
Recent Examples on the Web
Clay Fuller, the Republican candidate, prevailed by 12 points.
—
ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
Utah is at the heart of what’s been called the Sagebrush Rebellion, which rose during the Reagan era to challenge the prevailing management of federal lands, and, indeed, the entire idea of federal lands.
—Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026
The matchup lived up to expectations with Tate, a Wisconsin commit, prevailing by throwing a four-hitter with 14 strikeouts, no walks and one hit batter for Marist (8-0).
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Opinions from the Office of Legal Counsel bind the executive branch, but if a court reaches a different interpretation of a legal question, that determination prevails.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prevail
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ABC News, 9 Apr. 2026
Utah is at the heart of what’s been called the Sagebrush Rebellion, which rose during the Reagan era to challenge the prevailing management of federal lands, and, indeed, the entire idea of federal lands.
—Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2026
The matchup lived up to expectations with Tate, a Wisconsin commit, prevailing by throwing a four-hitter with 14 strikeouts, no walks and one hit batter for Marist (8-0).
—Rick Armstrong, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Opinions from the Office of Legal Counsel bind the executive branch, but if a court reaches a different interpretation of a legal question, that determination prevails.
—Jacob Rosen, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prevail
Cite this Entry
“Prevail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prevail. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prevail
verb
pre·vail
pri-ˈvā(ə)l 
1
: to win against opposition : be successful
our team prevailed
truth will prevail over error
believed injustice should not prevail
2
: to urge successfully
prevailed upon me to play a few tunes
3
a
: to be frequent
the storms that prevail there in winter
b
: to be or continue to be in use or fashion
lower rates prevail in the evening
customs that still prevail
Legal Definition
prevail
intransitive verb
pre·vail
pri-ˈvāl
1
: to obtain substantially the relief or action sought in a lawsuit
2
: to be frequent or predominant
the prevailing rate
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