as in convincing
to cause (someone) to agree with a belief or course of action by using arguments or earnest requests
we prevailed on him to sing in front of all his friends
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prevailing (on or upon)
Verb
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The more information out there about you, the more personalized and convincing scam calls become.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
15 Oct. 2025 -
Voodoo was also meant to get Prince’s attention, with the hope of convincing the Purple One to collaborate with D and Quest on an album — essentially, to serve as an audition for Prince — but that’s another story.—
Touré,
Rolling Stone,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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For other programs in recent years, previous relationships have proven critical as coaches like Indiana’s Curt Cignetti (hired from James Madison) and Washington’s Jedd Fisch (Arizona) were able to jump-start their rebuilds by persuading several of their key players to make the move with them.—
The Athletic Colleges staff,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
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He’s been accused of persuading people to invest their life savings in his real estate opportunities and promising six-figure returns, only to take the profits for himself.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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They’ve been almost monomaniacally determined to deliver a climactic final eight episodes that provide not only a feeling of resolution, but of satisfying inevitability.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
15 Oct. 2025
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This picture book is immersive, evoking the itch of a sweater or the satisfying softness of a banana (as opposed to other intolerably crunchy snacks).—
Sara Rowe Mount,
Parents,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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At a reunion special, Conner read a heartfelt letter acknowledging his past and emphasizing the possibility of healing, bringing both himself and Whitney to tears.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Oct. 2025
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SpaceX’s Starship, the biggest and most powerful spacecraft ever launched, successfully completed its 11th test flight, bringing the company closer to sending humans to other worlds.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
14 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Prevailing (on or upon).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prevailing%20%28on%20or%20upon%29. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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