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

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

Instead his threats to Hamas garnered a January hostage deal, after which he encouraged Israel to conquer Gaza.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

The U.S. wants to conquer the world by being better than everyone else.

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None of which will slow down FIFA’s charge to conquer America or expand the tournament.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Open, which he conquered with a bullish four-set victory over Sinner, the improvements were plain to see.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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