1
as in to win
to achieve victory (as in a contest)
we shall prevail despite the overwhelming odds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to survive
to continue to operate or to meet one's needs
a custom that still prevails in many areas of Africa
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 prevail
The Southern Section Division 1 champions faced top teams all season and prevailed, with junior Mateo Fuerbringer stamping himself as the top player for his class in the nation.
—
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Wembanyama had the superior numbers in the series and the Spurs wound up prevailing, while Holmgren was barely a factor offensively with the Thunder season on the line Saturday night.
—ABC News, 31 May 2026
Antonoff seems to have studied up on the teachings of Justin Vernon, modern patron saint of white-boy gospel music, and even Laurie Anderson—both artists with foundational works in the canon of digital disconnection—but his prevailing instinct is to shoot for the middle.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 30 May 2026
Paris Saint-Germain made history on Saturday with its defeat of Arsenal in the Champions League final, prevailing 4-3 on penalties after the game was tied 1-1 after 120 minutes of play.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for prevail
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
Wembanyama had the superior numbers in the series and the Spurs wound up prevailing, while Holmgren was barely a factor offensively with the Thunder season on the line Saturday night.
—ABC News, 31 May 2026
Antonoff seems to have studied up on the teachings of Justin Vernon, modern patron saint of white-boy gospel music, and even Laurie Anderson—both artists with foundational works in the canon of digital disconnection—but his prevailing instinct is to shoot for the middle.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 30 May 2026
Paris Saint-Germain made history on Saturday with its defeat of Arsenal in the Champions League final, prevailing 4-3 on penalties after the game was tied 1-1 after 120 minutes of play.
—Ben Church, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for prevail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prevail
Verb
-
Copyright © 2026 by Sharon Blackie DR SHARON BLACKIE is an award-winning and internationally bestselling author, and a psychologist with a background in mythology and folklore.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
-
And just never stopped winning.—
Ian Miller OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Two men died and one woman survived a helicopter crash leaving a wedding in North Georgia on Friday night, the coroner confirmed.—
Samantha Hogan,
AJC.com,
1 June 2026
-
There's no doubt that when temperatures start to rise and approach 90 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the only way to survive is to find places with fans or air conditioning, or, if possible, escape to the beach or pool to cool off.—
Marilú Almaguer,
Glamour,
31 May 2026
Verb
-
The June 3 gathering, lasting over three hours, was no less heated.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
-
After negotiations that lasted nearly nine hours, Israel and Lebanon agreed to implement a ceasefire, contingent on a cessation of Hezbollah fire and the removal of Hezbollah operatives from southern Lebanon.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Prevail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prevail. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
