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
The prevailing belief is that Earhart, 39, and Noonan, 44, ran out of fuel and ditched their twin-engine Lockheed Electra in the Pacific near Howland Island while on one of the final legs of their epic journey.
—
CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
Playing at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the home ground of European soccer giant Real Madrid, the Dolphins prevailed over the Commanders 16-13 in overtime.
—Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 17 Nov. 2025
During the country’s 2024 contest, more than half of Venezuelans turned out to vote, and according to the opposition’s methodical collection of official tally sheets, the former diplomat Edmundo González overwhelmingly prevailed.
—Francisco Rodríguez, Foreign Affairs, 17 Nov. 2025
Chocolate brown prevailed again as the top colors designers anticipate using in 2026 and that collectibles from the 1920s to 1950s and pre-1920s antiques are growing in popularity, while interest in the 1970s has declined.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 17 Nov. 2025
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.
CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025
Playing at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, the home ground of European soccer giant Real Madrid, the Dolphins prevailed over the Commanders 16-13 in overtime.
—Kevin Dotson, CNN Money, 17 Nov. 2025
During the country’s 2024 contest, more than half of Venezuelans turned out to vote, and according to the opposition’s methodical collection of official tally sheets, the former diplomat Edmundo González overwhelmingly prevailed.
—Francisco Rodríguez, Foreign Affairs, 17 Nov. 2025
Chocolate brown prevailed again as the top colors designers anticipate using in 2026 and that collectibles from the 1920s to 1950s and pre-1920s antiques are growing in popularity, while interest in the 1970s has declined.
—Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 17 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for prevail
Cite this Entry
“Prevail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prevail. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025.
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
Share