vanquish

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb vanquish differ from other similar words?

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

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

When could conquer be used to replace vanquish?

The words conquer and vanquish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, conquer implies gaining mastery of.

Caesar conquered Gaul

How are the words defeat and vanquish related?

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

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

Where would overcome be a reasonable alternative to vanquish?

The meanings of overcome and vanquish largely overlap; however, overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle.

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

When is overthrow a more appropriate choice than vanquish?

In some situations, the words overthrow and vanquish are roughly equivalent. However, overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power.

violently overthrew the old regime

When is it sensible to use reduce instead of vanquish?

The words reduce and vanquish can be used in similar contexts, but reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender.

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

When might subdue be a better fit than vanquish?

Although the words subdue and vanquish have much in common, subdue implies a defeating and suppression.

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

Examples of vanquish in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As Jerome Powell noted in his Jackson hole 2024 address team transitory was vanquished and the Fed tightened interest rates in an unprecedented manner. Vipin Bharathan, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024 In that tête-à-tête, a Jack Nicklaus captained U.S.A. squad vanquished a Gary Player helmed crew 19 1⁄2 to 14 1⁄2. Mike Dojc, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024 The investigation targeted the Uvalde area nearly 10 years after a joint operation in 2015 vanquished major gang operations there resulting in the Latin Kings being disbanded, the sheriff’s office said. Bethany Blankley | The Center Square Contributor, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Sep. 2024 Here's one: Republican efforts to repeal the landmark Affordable Care Act were vanquished in 2017 when GOP Sen. John McCain of Arizona, at a suspenseful final moment, gave a thumbs-down vote against his party. Susan Page, USA TODAY, 5 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for vanquish 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'vanquish.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near vanquish

Cite this Entry

“Vanquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vanquish. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on vanquish

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