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
So while there were certain elements that would’ve made this a nice trip for a family with young adults, that wasn’t the prevailing guest.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026
Those groups argue that Port KC has not lived up to a promise that its projects would be subject to Missouri’s prevailing wage and minimum apprenticeship standards.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2026
As events are leaning toward David Ellison and Paramount prevailing in its $108 billion hostile-takeover bid for Warner Bros Discovery, almost a dozen Republican state attorneys general are insisting that the federal government heavily scrutinize Netflix‘s bid for the iconic studio.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
If the county does not prevail, it is expected to appeal the jury’s ruling; the matter may not be resolved for years.
—Jennifer Gonnerman, New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for prevail
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.
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026
Those groups argue that Port KC has not lived up to a promise that its projects would be subject to Missouri’s prevailing wage and minimum apprenticeship standards.
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 25 Feb. 2026
As events are leaning toward David Ellison and Paramount prevailing in its $108 billion hostile-takeover bid for Warner Bros Discovery, almost a dozen Republican state attorneys general are insisting that the federal government heavily scrutinize Netflix‘s bid for the iconic studio.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
If the county does not prevail, it is expected to appeal the jury’s ruling; the matter may not be resolved for years.
—Jennifer Gonnerman, New Yorker, 25 Feb. 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 27 Feb. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
