win
1to finish first in a race, contest, or the like: My story won in the short fiction category.
to gain the victory; overcome an adversary: The home team won.
to succeed by striving or effort: He applied for a scholarship and won.
Slang. to be successful or competent and be acknowledged for it: My sister wins at finding the best bargains.: Compare fail (def. 9).
to gain (a prize, fame, etc.): She won a million dollars in the lottery.
to be victorious or successful in (a game, race, battle, etc.): The Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series two years in a row.
to obtain or earn (a point or goal); score: You win 10 bonus points if you play all your cards in the same turn.Our team won two goals in the first five minutes!
to get by effort, as through labor, competition, or conquest: He won his post after years of striving.
to gain (favor, love, consent, etc.), as by qualities or influence: You will win the kids’ respect if you take them seriously.
to gain the favor, regard, or adherence of: The candidate won younger voters with his proposal on tuition aid.
to gain the consent or support of; persuade (often followed by over): The speech won them over to our side.
to succeed in reaching (a place, condition, etc.), especially by great effort: They won the shore through a violent storm.
to persuade to marry; gain in marriage.
British Mining.
to obtain (ore, coal, etc.).
to prepare (a vein, bed, mine, etc.) for working, by means of shafts or the like.
a victory, as in a game or horse race: The Flames have had only two wins in the whole season.
the position of the competitor who comes in first in a horse race, harness race, etc.: Compare place (def. 27b), show (def. 27).
Slang.
a success, or something good: She was having a bad week, so she really needed a win.: Compare fail (def. 14a).
the state or quality of being successful or good: There was so much win in last night’s episode!: Compare fail (def. 14b).
Slang.
successful or competent: She got accepted for publication on her first try—I call that a win person!: Compare fail (def. 19b).
very good or of high quality; awesome: To hear him play, now that was win!Those movers we hired did such a win job with our stuff.: Compare fail (def. 19c).
Slang. (used to acknowledge success, competence, etc.): I just got tickets to the concert. Win!
win out, to win or succeed, especially over great odds; triumph: His better nature finally won out.
Idioms about win
for the win, Slang. (used to express enthusiasm for someone or something that is very good, likely to succeed, etc.): A plant-based diet, for the win!
win one's way, to advance or succeed, as by ability or effort: The battalion won its way at great cost.Your original ideas have won their way in a field where it is difficult to say anything new.
win the internet. internet (def. 3).
Origin of win
1synonym study For win
Other words for win
Other words from win
- win·na·ble, adjective
Words Nearby win
Other definitions for win (2 of 2)
to dry (hay, wood, etc.) by exposure to air and sun.
Origin of win
2Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use win in a sentence
Dragić and Herro kept them in it early, Jae Crowder just kept making threes, and then Jimmy Butler’s scoring and Bam’s block won it late.
Bam Adebayo Is Making Plays, Denver Is Making Us Look Bad, And The Lakers May Need To Make Some Adjustments | Chris Herring (chris.herring@fivethirtyeight.com) | September 17, 2020 | FiveThirtyEightIn other words, the Republican Party won on the atrocious Ballot Harvesting Scam.
While Maddux won his fourth consecutive — and final — Cy Young Award in his age-29 season in 1995, Johnson won four straight Cy Young Awards from his age 35 to age 38 seasons.
In 2018, Maduro won a second term as president of Venezuela.
Does Anyone Really Know What Socialism Is? (Ep. 408 Rebroadcast) | Stephen J. Dubner | September 17, 2020 | FreakonomicsThe survey shows Graham and Harrison each winning the backing of 48 percent of likely voters in the state.
Trump contradicts CDC director on vaccine; Biden says Americans shouldn’t trust Trump | Colby Itkowitz, Felicia Sonmez, John Wagner | September 16, 2020 | Washington Post
Except the Braves did not win 14 straight pennants (they did win 14 straight division titles), and Smoltz is a also Republican.
Conservative Curt Says His Politics, Not His Pitching, Kept Him Out of the Hall of Fame | Ben Jacobs | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTHer Miss America win transcended mere superficial beauty standards.
Why Was Bess Myerson the First and Last Jewish Miss America? | Emily Shire | January 7, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTA Republican candidate hoping to win red state support could find a worse team to root for than one from Dallas.
If history is a guide, Huckabee will need to resonate with more than just the faithful if he is to win.
She fails to appreciate the congressional and constitutional obstacles Johnson had to overcome to win passage of the bill.
Dr. King Goes to Hollywood: The Flawed History of ‘Selma’ | Gary May | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTBessires was included because he would never win it at any later date, but his doglike devotion made him a priceless subordinate.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-PattisonThe real experience has a magnetism of its own and will win above mere technicality whenever it has the opportunity.
Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge SouthwickGreat preparations had been made, and the success must have been perfect to win so general and hearty a commendation.
Glances at Europe | Horace GreeleyAll the miserable stratagems they had been guilty of to win him; the dishonest plotting and planning.
Elster's Folly | Mrs. Henry WoodThey take him along whenever they play games, thinking the mascot helps them to win.
Squinty the Comical Pig | Richard Barnum
British Dictionary definitions for win (1 of 2)
/ (wɪn) /
(intr) to achieve first place in a competition
(tr) to gain or receive (a prize, first place, etc) in a competition
(tr) to succeed in or gain (something) with an effort: we won recognition
win one's spurs
to achieve recognition in some field of endeavour
history to be knighted
to gain victory or triumph in (a battle, argument, etc)
(tr) to earn or procure (a living, etc) by work
(tr) to take possession of, esp violently; capture: the Germans never won Leningrad
(when intr, foll by out, through, etc) to reach with difficulty (a desired condition or position) or become free, loose, etc, with effort: the boat won the shore; the boat won through to the shore
(tr) to turn someone into (a supporter, enemy, etc): you have just won an ally
(tr) to gain (the sympathy, loyalty, etc) of someone
(tr) to obtain (a woman, etc) in marriage
(tr)
to extract (ore, coal, etc) from a mine
to extract (metal or other minerals) from ore
to discover and make (a mineral deposit) accessible for mining
you can't win informal an expression of resignation after an unsuccessful attempt to overcome difficulties
informal a success, victory, or triumph
profit; winnings
the act or fact of reaching the finishing line or post first
Origin of win
1- See also win out
Derived forms of win
- winnable, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for win (2 of 2)
/ (wɪn) /
to dry (grain, hay, peat, etc) by exposure to sun and air
a less common word for winnow
Origin of win
2Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with win
In addition to the idioms beginning with win
- win by a nose
- wind down
- wind up
- wine and dine
- wing it
- win hands down
- winning streak
- win one's spurs
- win on points
- win out
- win over
- win some, lose some
- win through
also see:
- (win) hands down
- no-win situation
- slow but sure (steady wins the race)
- you can't win
- you can't win 'em all
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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