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

And if Raman prevails over Bass, that mayor will be someone who didn’t even want the Olympics here in the first place. — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 24 Oct. 2026

Dupuy-Spencer had a reputation for clear-eyed renderings of both the tenderness and the brutality of our world; here, darker forces prevail. — Dan Stahl, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026

No matter how much got shaded in on Thursday, that’s likely to be the prevailing stigma until Simmons demonstrates otherwise. — Kansas City Star, 23 Oct. 2026

Continue reading … -- IN OTHER NEWS DEADLY EXCEPTION — Gabby Petito court battle could decide whether Charlie Kirk family can prevail in Utah wrongful death lawsuit. — FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 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