prevail on

Idioms  

1. Successfully persuade or influence, as in They prevailed on me to speak at their annual luncheon. This term uses prevail in the sense of “exert superior force.” It replaced prevail with in the mid-1600s.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

prevail on

Cook has denied the mortgage fraud allegations and in its Monday verdict the Supreme Court said the government was "unlikely" to prevail on appeal in its attempts to remove the Fed governor.

From Barron's ● Jun. 29, 2026

To prevail on its antitrust claims, Compass must prove that Zillow is a monopoly in a relevant market.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026

There is a strong argument to say they would also prevail on ice and sand, but there is no doubt court speeds have become much more uniform over the past 20 years.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2025

Villa Park 5, Granite Hills 4: It took nine innings for Villa Park to prevail on the road.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 3, 2025

I could not prevail on myself to go in to them; and afterwards, when I came to the summer-house again, they were both gone.

From Tales From the 'Phantasus', etc. of Ludwig Tieck by Tieck, Ludwig

Related Words

• prevail upon