conquer

[kong-ker]

verb (used with object)

1. to acquire by force of arms; win in war.

   to conquer a foreign land.

2. to overcome by force; subdue.

   to conquer an enemy.

   Synonyms: subjugate, overthrow, overpower, vanquish

3. to gain, win, or obtain by effort, personal appeal, etc..

   conquer the hearts of his audience.

4. to gain a victory over; surmount; master; overcome.

   to conquer disease and poverty; to conquer one's fear.

verb (used without object)

1. to be victorious; make conquests; gain the victory.

   Despite their differences, their love will conquer.

conquer

/ ˈkɒŋkə /

verb

1. to overcome (an enemy, army, etc); defeat

2. to overcome (an obstacle, feeling, desire, etc); surmount

3. (tr) to gain possession or control of by or as if by force or war; win

4. (tr) to gain the love, sympathy, etc, of (someone) by seduction or force of personality

Other Word Forms

• conquerable adjective
• conquerableness noun
• conqueringly adverb
• half-conquered adjective
• preconquer verb (used with object)
• reconquer verb (used with object)
• unconquerable adjective
• unconquered adjective
• conquering adjective
• conqueror noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of conquer¹

First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English conqueren, from Anglo-French conquerir, Old French conquerre, from Vulgar Latin conquērere (unrecorded) “to acquire,” from Latin conquīrere “to seek out”; con-, query

Word History and Origins

Origin of conquer¹

C13: from Old French conquerre, from Vulgar Latin conquērere (unattested) to obtain, from Latin conquīrere to search for, collect, from quaerere to seek

Idioms and Phrases

see divide and conquer.

Synonym Study

See defeat.

Example Sentences

The highest summits have been conquered, the most spectacular too.

Read more on BBC

The U.S. electorate believed Truman was right to avoid what Winston Churchill had called the “effusions of American blood” necessary to conquer Japan’s home islands.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

This recognition of the struggle of all Venezuelans is a boost to conclude our task: to conquer Freedom.

Read more on Salon

He has also made it his long-running mission to ensure no Palestinian state arises — something he hoped to achieve by conquering Gaza and annexing the West Bank.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Yeah, the rest of their journey should be the easy part, the Dodgers already conquering their Goliath equal in a Phillies series that was essentially the World Series.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• crush 
• overthrow 
• quell 
• rout 
• subdue 
• subjugate 
• surmount 
• vanquish