vanquish

verb

ˈvaŋ-kwish How to pronounce vanquish (audio)
Definition of vanquishnext
as in to subdue
to bring under one's control by force of arms vanquished nation after nation in his relentless conquest of Europe

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb vanquish differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of vanquish are conquer, defeat, overcome, overthrow, reduce, and subdue. While all these words mean "to get the better of by force or strategy," vanquish implies a complete overpowering.

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

When could conquer be used to replace vanquish?

The words conquer and vanquish are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, conquer implies gaining mastery of.

Caesar conquered Gaul

How are the words defeat and vanquish related?

Defeat does not imply the finality or completeness of vanquish which it otherwise equals.

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

Where would overcome be a reasonable alternative to vanquish?

The meanings of overcome and vanquish largely overlap; however, overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle.

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

When is overthrow a more appropriate choice than vanquish?

In some situations, the words overthrow and vanquish are roughly equivalent. However, overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power.

violently overthrew the old regime

When is it sensible to use reduce instead of vanquish?

The words reduce and vanquish can be used in similar contexts, but reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender.

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

When might subdue be a better fit than vanquish?

Although the words subdue and vanquish have much in common, subdue implies a defeating and suppression.

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of vanquish KPop Demon Hunters is, after all, about the k-pop girl group Huntrix who seek to vanquish demons and restore harmony to the world. —Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 The first teaser shows Hemsworth’s Geralt, who looks very similar to Cavill’s version, vanquish a ghostly wraith. —Lauren Coates, Variety, 14 Sep. 2025 The Warrens attempted to vanquish the succubus with prayer, crosses, holy water and a police officer with them for protection. —Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 7 Sep. 2025 Empire and The Foundation must merge their resources and forces with the aid of the ancient android Demerzel to have any chance of vanquishing The Mule and thwarting his insatiable appetite to rule the universe by any means necessary. —Jeff Spry, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for vanquish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for vanquish
  1. subdue
  2. conquer
  3. dominate
  4. subject
  5. defeat
  6. overcome
Verb
  • The Arden Arcade crash ended the chase before deputies sent in a K-9 to subdue the suspect, said sheriff’s officials.
    — Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Officers then tried to subdue him with less-lethal beanbag rounds and a K-9 unit, but those attempts were unsuccessful.
    — Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of subdue
Verb
  • Want to know more about latest viral trend to conquer short nails?
    — Laura Solla, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2025
  • Amy Schumer has conquered comedy and television.
    — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of conquer
Verb
  • Narrowing searches to those with experience running a company or a major business unit means they are confined to a much smaller pool of executives with decades of experience and, because of historic hiring patterns, that talent pool is dominated by White men, Williams said.
    — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Advertisement Although a senior member of Fatah—the secular nationalist party that dominates the Palestinian Authority—Barghouti has maintained good relations with Hamas, the Islamist militant group that controls Gaza.
    — Karl Vick, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
Definition of dominate
Verb
  • Lucido's office said Martin also has a habitual offender, fourth-offense notice, subjecting him to life in prison if he is convicted of any of the primary felony charges, according to a release.
    — Christina Hall, Freep.com, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The move would subject SpaceX to competition from space technology rivals like Blue Origin and Lockheed Martin.
    — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025
Definition of subject
Verb
  • Glo clearly brought good luck to the game, seeing as the Raptors defeated the Hawks 138-118.
    — Elizabeth Ayoola, Essence, 24 Oct. 2025
  • In these sparsely populated spaces, the mountain always defeats the human, instilling a deep respect for the environment.
    — Callum McLennan, Variety, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of defeat
Verb
  • How Tielemans overcame early toils is often used as a source of encouragement by new additions who seem peripheral at first.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Her mission is to be an example of overcoming adversity, reminding the world that true success comes from working with love, respect, and shining without dimming the light of others.
    — Raechal Shewfelt, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Oct. 2025
Definition of overcome

Browse Nearby Words

vanity
vanquish
vanquished
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Cite this Entry

“Vanquish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/vanquish. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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