prevail

[ pri-veyl ]

verb (used without object)

1. to be widespread or current; exist everywhere or generally:

   Silence prevailed along the funeral route.

2. to appear or occur as the more important or frequent feature or element; predominate:

   Green tints prevail in the upholstery.

   Synonyms: preponderate

3. to be or prove superior in strength, power, or influence (usually followed by over ):

   They prevailed over their enemies in the battle.

   Synonyms: overcome

   Antonyms: lose

4. to succeed; become dominant; win out:

   to wish that the right side might prevail.

5. to use persuasion or inducement successfully:

   He prevailed upon us to accompany him.

prevail

/ prɪˈveɪl /

verb

1. often foll byover or against to prove superior; gain mastery

   skill will prevail

2. to be or appear as the most important feature; be prevalent
3. to exist widely; be in force
4. often foll byon or upon to succeed in persuading or inducing

Derived Forms

• preˈvailer, noun

Other Words From

• pre·vailer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of prevail¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English prevayllen “to grow very strong,” from Latin praevalēre “to be more able,” equivalent to prae- “before, in front” + valēre “to be strong”; pre-, prevalent

Word History and Origins

Origin of prevail¹

C14: from Latin praevalēre to be superior in strength, from prae beyond + valēre to be strong

Example Sentences

Delaware Republicans backed Jim DeMartino, an attorney, but Witzke prevailed.

From Washington Post

Vince was curious whether that strategy would prevail or instead a strategy that targeted more castles would win the day.

From FiveThirtyEight

Additionally, implement your prevailing local SEO strategy along with targeting how users are phrasing their queries.

From Search Engine Watch

They prevailed against Houston’s Phi Slama Jama in 1984 and were within 5 points of winning all three, if it weren’t for historic shooting from eighth-seeded Villanova in 1985 and a shot from some guy named Michael Jordan in 1982.

From FiveThirtyEight

It’s hard to say what will prevail in the long run because the evidence points to the fact that this is working to rank sites.

From Search Engine Watch

As McCain so eloquently stated Monday, we must not “risk our national honor to prevail in this or any war.”

From The Daily Beast

And if the Little Sisters prevail, the entire contraception mandate falls.

From The Daily Beast

Photoshop, on-line image manipulators and videogamers prevail.

From The Daily Beast

These fanatical groups wish to create fundamentalist enclaves in which some version of Sharia law will prevail.

From The Daily Beast

Then, a Perry campaign has to prevail in the general election.

From The Daily Beast

Dense fogs always prevail, and generally make the country very damp.

From Project Gutenberg

The Marshal's arguments seemed about to prevail when news arrived that Bruyre, commanding the cavalry, was seriously wounded.

From Project Gutenberg

The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, "Behold, how ye prevail nothing; lo, the world is gone after him."

From Project Gutenberg

Fortunately, they prevail in a comparatively small section, for we did not find them outside of Cornwall and Devon.

From Project Gutenberg

Its surface would be visited by fierce winds induced by the very great differences of temperature which would then prevail.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• abound
• beat
• overcome
• prove
• reign
• succeed
• triumph
• win