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
Dutch drama series The Night Watch has prevailed in the MIA Market drama development category in Rome, as the tenth edition of the Italian fest drew to a close.
—
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2024
That ensured Wisconsin would be fiercely contested in the 2020 election, and when the dust settled, President Joe Biden prevailed.
—Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2024
Harris' team prevailed and new surrogates began appearing frequently.
—Alex Thompson, Axios, 13 Oct. 2024
While state legislative candidates sometimes ride the coattails of the top of the ticket to victory, fierce partisans Downriver may not decide which party prevails in the fight to control the state House.
—Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 13 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prevail 
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2024
That ensured Wisconsin would be fiercely contested in the 2020 election, and when the dust settled, President Joe Biden prevailed.
—Nathaniel Rakich, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2024
Harris' team prevailed and new surrogates began appearing frequently.
—Alex Thompson, Axios, 13 Oct. 2024
While state legislative candidates sometimes ride the coattails of the top of the ticket to victory, fierce partisans Downriver may not decide which party prevails in the fight to control the state House.
—Clara Hendrickson, Detroit Free Press, 13 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for prevail
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prevail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near prevail
Cite this Entry
“Prevail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prevail. Accessed 25 Oct. 2024.
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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