vanquished

adjective

van·​quished ˈvaŋ-kwisht 

ˈvan-

: overcome or defeated in battle or in a conflict or contest

a vanquished foe

In the dim light he could see Leslie's face freeze into its most queenly pose—the kind of expression she usually reserved for vanquished enemies.

—Katherine Paterson

When this morning race was over, the Brown oarsmen waited at their boat house for their vanquished competitors to come around and hand over their rowing shirts, each with its distinctive colors and design.

—William N. Wallace

Exiting at 35th Street, we pass the new Comiskey Park with its vanquished predecessor now reduced to a placeless parking complex across the street …

—Thomas J. Jablonsky

Examples of vanquished in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This leads some to wonder whether the imaginary aspect of quantum mechanics — or even reality itself — is truly vanquished. —Daniel Garisto, Quanta Magazine, 7 Nov. 2025

Dolphins, Broncos, Titans, Raiders Their list of vanquished opponents isn’t exactly impressive, but the Colts have looked awfully good in those wins. —Chad Graff, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025

In Sri Lanka, the Rajapaksa clan remains a force, bruised but far from vanquished. —Kapil Komireddi, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025

Once victorious, Zeus condemned his vanquished opponents, notably Atlas, who was forced to carry the burden of the heavens, for eternity. —Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above