wins; won
ˈwʌn 
; winning
; winning
1
a
: to achieve victory in a fight, contest, game, etc.
The boxer won the match by knockout.
They won the battle/war.
She won the election.
He won't give up until he's won the argument.
Neither candidate won the debate.
We tried our best, but you can't win them all.
They played well, but they didn't win.
The chances of winning are 1 in 100,000.
It's not about winning or losing. It's about having fun.
Okay, you win. [=I agree to do what you want] We'll go to the movies.
b
: to get (something, such as a prize) by achieving victory in a fight, contest, game, etc.
She won a tennis trophy.
Her book won the Pulitzer Prize.
2
: to get (something) by effort
She won praise for her hard work.
His perseverance won him the job. [=he got the job because of his perseverance]
3
: to persuade (someone) to like you or to choose you
She won the voters with her warm sense of humor.
He and his girlfriend broke up, but he's determined to win her back. [=to get her back; to persuade her to be his girlfriend again]
He'll do anything to win her heart. [=to get her to fall in love with him]
plural wins
: an act of achieving victory especially in a game or contest : victory
a pitcher with 15 wins
Their win over the first place team was unexpected.
Cite this Entry
“Win.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/win. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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