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as in to win
to achieve victory (as in a contest) a coach who demands that his team conquer, whatever the cost

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb conquer differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of conquer are defeat, overcome, overthrow, reduce, subdue, and vanquish. While all these words mean "to get the better of by force or strategy," conquer implies gaining mastery of.

Caesar conquered Gaul

How do defeat and vanquish relate to one another, in the sense of conquer?

Defeat does not imply the finality or completeness of vanquish which it otherwise equals.

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

When would overcome be a good substitute for conquer?

The words overcome and conquer are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle.

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

When can overthrow be used instead of conquer?

The meanings of overthrow and conquer largely overlap; however, overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power.

violently overthrew the old regime

When is reduce a more appropriate choice than conquer?

Although the words reduce and conquer have much in common, reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender.

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

Where would subdue be a reasonable alternative to conquer?

While the synonyms subdue and conquer are close in meaning, subdue implies a defeating and suppression.

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

When is it sensible to use vanquish instead of conquer?

The synonyms vanquish and conquer are sometimes interchangeable, but vanquish implies a complete overpowering.

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of conquer This is Maryland’s moment to shine, to show the world how communities, when armed with truth and transparency, can conquer even the most powerful forces working against us. Will Fries, Baltimore Sun, 8 May 2025 From the Ashes: The Allied effort included forces from several countries that had been conquered by the Nazis; e.g., France, Belgium, Holland, Greece and Poland. Michael Peregrine, Forbes.com, 7 May 2025 And, of course, delve deeper into The Price of Nice: Why Comfort Keeps Us Stuck—And 4 Actions for Real Change for additional frameworks to conquer all that niceness when the book becomes available in October 2025. Simone E. Morris, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025 At various times in its long history, the region has either been coveted, conquered or controlled by the Greeks, the Roman Byzantines, the Genoese, the Mongols, Ottomans, Russians, Ukrainians, and even by the Germans for a brief period during World War II. Scott Neuman, NPR, 30 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conquer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conquer
Verb
  • The cannabis industry, traditionally dominated by white and male entrepreneurs, has seen a surge of diverse voices in recent years.
    Matt Rozo, Mercury News, 13 May 2025
  • This was the start of a 21-game stretch the Cubs should dominate, even with Justin Steele out for the season and Shota Imanaga’s return from a hamstring strain unknown.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2025
Verb
  • During a stretch in which the Twins are outscoring opponents 68-29, the team is receiving contributions from just about everyone on the roster while concurrently overcoming the mounting injuries.
    Dan Hayes, New York Times, 18 May 2025
  • Yet amid the devastation, a few glimmers of hope remain—Palestine’s U-20 national women’s team recently won the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Championship, overcoming Jordan 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the final following a 1-1 draw.
    Samindra Kunti, Forbes.com, 18 May 2025
Verb
  • His administration won significant backing from Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
    Tom Perry, USA Today, 15 May 2025
  • Rory McIlroy is the favorite after winning The Masters.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Hundreds of Ghor are killed, stormtroopers patrol the streets, and KX-series security droids are unleashed like hulking monsters, subduing random humans to death.
    Jesse Hassenger, Vulture, 7 May 2025
  • Nichols fled after being pulled from his car and was later subdued and struck repeatedly with fists, boots, a Taser and a baton.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 7 May 2025
Verb
  • The moment transpired seven months after the Liberty defeated the Minessota Lynx in a riveting five-game WNBA Finals.
    Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 18 May 2025
  • But 19 months after the war in Gaza began, Israel has failed to either defeat Hamas or free all of the captives.
    Aaron Boxerman, New York Times, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • Loading your audio article In the battle between the best pitching staff in baseball and the best offense, the big bats in the Bronx prevailed.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
  • When playing with friends or business associates, which is mostly the way the president plays the game, all sorts of favor-trading can prevail.
    Matthew Purdy, New York Times, 17 May 2025
Verb
  • Singer, in particular, subjected new cast member Eboni K. Williams — the show’s first Black full-time cast member — to a hailstorm of microaggressions and was the subject of several official complaints.
    Louis Staples, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2025
  • Just one week after subjecting us to Bobby’s funeral, Thursday’s episode of 9-1-1 wastes no time punching us in the gut once more, this time with a look back at the 118 in happier times.
    Andy Swift, TVLine, 8 May 2025
Verb
  • Follow the following design tips to master the art of styling your end table.
    Sophie Flaxman, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 May 2025
  • Her early exposure to the game amplified her love and developed a desire to master all aspects.
    Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 8 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Conquer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conquer. Accessed 21 May. 2025.

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