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

A five-year-old girl has conquered Britain's highest mountain in challenging wintry conditions "to help raise pennies for the girls and boys who need help".

Read more on BBC

In the video game world, conquering the “cheat code” means a player has figured out the secret password to stay alive.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Now there is a vast new territory to be conquered.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

For England, 16 men have the chance to match the greats that have conquered this country.

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It means “I came, I saw, I conquered,” and Caesar meant it as a pithy description of a battle, which, in a nutshell, he won.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

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