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

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 vanquish But the soul of the Scorpion was not easily vanquished, proving the axiom that driving a slow car fast is better than driving a fast car slow. Robert Ross, Robb Report, 4 Apr. 2025 Identical twins Hal and Bill (both Theo James) have been cursed by the mysterious monkey toy since childhood; their father tried to vanquish it to no avail. Barry Levitt, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025 Dietary change is not going to vanquish cancer on its own, Fendt says. Amber Dance, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025 The win puts Buffalo in the AFC Championship Game for the second time in five seasons and sets up a matchup next weekend with the Kansas City Chiefs — a nemesis that quarterback Josh Allen and coach Sean McDermott have yet to vanquish in the playoffs. Tim Graham, The Athletic, 19 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vanquish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vanquish
Verb
  • For McIlroy — who relied on the services of a sports psychologist to conquer the mountain of winning golf’s Grand Slam — the moment of victory was a long time coming, and an emotional one.
    Anna Lazarus Caplan, People.com, 15 May 2025
  • Tiger Woods ruled the PGA Championship again Having already conquered the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach and The Open Championship at St. Andrews earlier that year, Tiger Woods arrived at Valhalla Golf Club in 2000, chasing yet another milestone.
    Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
Verb
  • Officers used a taser on the man to try to subdue him, according to Cleverdon.
    Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 19 May 2025
  • The most subdued of those was one of the most tempting: Hotel Wren in Twentynine Palms, which only opened in March, a 12-room, high-end retreat with muted colors, enormous rooms, custom furniture and poolside mountain views.
    Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2025
Verb
  • Bird flu remains a major threat that will strike again—as long as factory farms continue to dominate our poultry market.
    Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
  • The other German parties delayed their reckoning with popular discontent over immigration, and instead let the AfD dominate that issue, which heated up politically until it could not be ignored.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 13 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Vanquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vanquish. Accessed 25 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on vanquish

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!