prevail

verb

pre·​vail pri-ˈvāl 

prevailed; prevailing; prevails

intransitive verb

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

Synonyms of prevail

• win

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

Defense prevailed in the final FIFA World Cup match in Dallas-Fort Worth, as Spain stifled rival France 2-0 in the semifinals Tuesday at AT&T Stadium. — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 July 2026

The two squads had last met in the Euro 2024 semifinals, with Spain prevailing 2-1 on first-half goals by teenage phenom Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo. — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 14 July 2026

Imagine that Justice Clarence Thomas’ originalist dissent in the Fed case had prevailed. — Noah Feldman, Mercury News, 14 July 2026

Cooler heads prevailed and the team began a run of winning matches, mostly by one goal, on its way to the semifinals against a European giant – much like Spain in 2026. — Patrick Sung Cuadrado, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin praevalēre, from prae- pre- + valēre to be strong — more at wield

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing prevail

• cooler heads prevail
• prevail on/upon

Rhymes for prevail

• airmail
• assail
• avail
• bewail
• blackmail
• cattail
• cocktail
• curtail
• derail
• detail
• dovetail
• email

Kids 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