vanquish

verb

ˈvaŋ-kwish How to pronounce vanquish (audio)
Definition of vanquishnext
as in to conquer
to bring under one's control by force of arms vanquished nation after nation in his relentless conquest of Europe

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Benoit Tessier | Reuters AMD’s Lisa Su has already vanquished Intel. —Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 21 Mar. 2025 But the community members, if past events are any precedent, will not be vanquished so easily. —Bridget Read, Curbed, 14 Mar. 2025 No actor could vanquish the memory preserved for posterity in Elia Kazan’s film. —Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2025 The Wild Robot’s underlying theme — humanity vanquished — is depressing. —Armond White, National Review, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vanquish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vanquish
  1. conquer
  2. subdue
  3. dominate
  4. subject
  5. defeat
  6. overcome
Verb
  • This year, he was tasked with conquering the opponent’s best hitters in Game 1, and that doesn’t figure to change.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Channel this passion into some focused new moon intentions on April 27, but don’t let yourself be driven by a sheer need to conquer.
    — Nina Kahn, StyleCaster, 24 Mar. 2025
Definition of conquer
Verb
  • Subdued volatility Unlike traditional assets, bitcoin’s pops and drops were relatively subdued this week, which some investors took as a mark of its maturity.
    — Tanaya Macheel, CNBC, 12 Apr. 2025
  • Up until last week, the president had been more subdued in his criticism of the central bank than in his first term.
    — Colby Smith, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of subdue
Verb
  • While their presence pushes younger competitors to work even harder for wins, bigger racing teams just have elite equipment that can easily allow one car to dominate, the owner explained on the Dale Jr. Download podcast.
    — Shane Connuck, Charlotte Observer, 19 Apr. 2025
  • His interest in witchcraft came to dominate his later writing.
    — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of dominate
Verb
  • But the administration hasn’t yet subjected any other state to Maine-level scrutiny.
    — Brooke Migdon, The Hill, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Vietnam’s $123 billion trade surplus with the United States—the second highest in Asia after China and the highest in Southeast Asia—has subjected it to high tariffs.
    — Lynn Kuok, Foreign Affairs, 14 Apr. 2025
Definition of subject
Verb
  • In his first defense of the IBF crown, Ennis defeated David Avanesyan when the fight was halted before the start of the sixth round.
    — Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • The Kings defeated the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the play-in tournament before losing to the New Orleans Pelicans in a game that would have sent them to the playoffs as the No.
    — Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Definition of defeat
Verb
  • Republicans will need Democratic support to overcome a 60-vote threshold to be able to pass the bill in the Senate.
    — John Parkinson, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2025
  • After Republicans in the House and Senate had forged ahead on their own budget blueprints earlier this year, the Senate on Saturday adopted the compromise resolution, giving the House just days to overcome opposition and get it over the finish line before the recess.
    — Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of overcome

Browse Nearby Words

vanity
vanquish
vanquished
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Cite this Entry

“Vanquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vanquish. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

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Nglish: Translation of vanquish for Spanish Speakers

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