conquer
verb
con·quer ˈkäŋ-kər 
conquered; conquering ˈkäŋ-k(ə-)riŋ
transitive verb
1
: to gain or acquire by force of arms : subjugate
conquer territory
2
: to overcome by force of arms : vanquish
conquered the enemy
3
: to gain mastery over or win by overcoming obstacles or opposition
conquered the mountain
4
: to overcome by mental or moral power : surmount
conquered her fear
intransitive verb
: to be victorious
Synonyms
- dominate
- overpower
- pacify
- subdue
- subject
- subjugate
- subordinate
- vanquish
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
And my girlfriends are really strong, feminine women—yet we can all be girls together. Some days we just have to go out and shop, get a massage … . The next day we want to conquer the world and start our own company. 
Sandra Bullock, quoted in Playboy, September 1995 After her initial passionate prayer of thanks for the strength to conquer her vast disappointment, she stayed on her knees, the hassock comfortable … James Clavell, Gai-Jin, (1993) 1994 It used to be that men "conquered" mountains in a cacophony of gratuitous chest-thumping. Tim Cahill, New York Times Book Review, 10 June 1990 But however vile the movie, the sentiments it embodies are (as they say) American as apple pie: the west was something to be conquered and claimed. Margaret Atwood, Survival, 1972 The city was conquered by the ancient Romans. They conquered all their enemies. He finally conquered his drug habit. Scientists believe the disease can be conquered. See More
Sandra Bullock, quoted in Playboy, September 1995 After her initial passionate prayer of thanks for the strength to conquer her vast disappointment, she stayed on her knees, the hassock comfortable … James Clavell, Gai-Jin, (1993) 1994 It used to be that men "conquered" mountains in a cacophony of gratuitous chest-thumping. Tim Cahill, New York Times Book Review, 10 June 1990 But however vile the movie, the sentiments it embodies are (as they say) American as apple pie: the west was something to be conquered and claimed. Margaret Atwood, Survival, 1972 The city was conquered by the ancient Romans. They conquered all their enemies. He finally conquered his drug habit. Scientists believe the disease can be conquered. See More Recent Examples on the Web Under Zuckerberg's leadership, Meta began a campaign to conquer virtual reality in 2014 with its acquisition of headset maker Oculus VR. Marcy Gordon, ajc, 27 July 2022 There are lots of ways to hike the Ice Age Trail, from challenging yourself to conquer the whole thing to focusing on some specific segments whenever the season is most to your liking. Amy Schwabe, Journal Sentinel, 29 July 2022 On Wednesday, the Fed raised its benchmark rate by a sizable three-quarters of a point for a second straight time in its push to conquer the worst inflation outbreak in four decades. Paul Wiseman, Anchorage Daily News, 29 July 2022 On Wednesday, the Fed raised its benchmark rate by a sizable three-quarters of a point for a second straight time in its push to conquer the worst inflation outbreak in four decades. Paul Wiseman, ajc, 28 July 2022 Cruise demurred and set his sights on other mountains to conquer, from pool-hustling with Paul Newman to helping Dustin Hoffman win another Oscar. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 May 2022 Bella Hadid returned to France to conquer the Cannes Film Festival red carpet. Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 25 May 2022 Discord was an app that enabled real-time voice and text chatting, so friends could team up to conquer an obstacle, or just chat while exploring a game world. Brianna Dym, The Conversation, 15 Mar. 2022 With interest rates at historic lows today, precisely how high Powell would have to raise them to conquer inflation is far from clear. Damon Linker, The Week, 15 Mar. 2022 See More
Marcy Gordon, ajc, 27 July 2022 There are lots of ways to hike the Ice Age Trail, from challenging yourself to conquer the whole thing to focusing on some specific segments whenever the season is most to your liking. Amy Schwabe, Journal Sentinel, 29 July 2022 On Wednesday, the Fed raised its benchmark rate by a sizable three-quarters of a point for a second straight time in its push to conquer the worst inflation outbreak in four decades. Paul Wiseman, Anchorage Daily News, 29 July 2022 On Wednesday, the Fed raised its benchmark rate by a sizable three-quarters of a point for a second straight time in its push to conquer the worst inflation outbreak in four decades. Paul Wiseman, ajc, 28 July 2022 Cruise demurred and set his sights on other mountains to conquer, from pool-hustling with Paul Newman to helping Dustin Hoffman win another Oscar. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 29 May 2022 Bella Hadid returned to France to conquer the Cannes Film Festival red carpet. Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 25 May 2022 Discord was an app that enabled real-time voice and text chatting, so friends could team up to conquer an obstacle, or just chat while exploring a game world. Brianna Dym, The Conversation, 15 Mar. 2022 With interest rates at historic lows today, precisely how high Powell would have to raise them to conquer inflation is far from clear. Damon Linker, The Week, 15 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, to acquire, conquer, from Anglo-French conquerre, from Vulgar Latin *conquaerere, alteration of Latin conquirere to search for, collect, from com- + quaerere to ask, search
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Phrases Containing conquer
Kids Definition
conquer
verb
con·quer ˈkäŋ-kər
conquered; conquering
1
: to get or gain by force : win by fighting
2
: overcome sense 1
She worked hard to conquer her fears.
conquers
verb
1
as in subdues
to bring under one's control by force of arms before his final defeat, Napoléon had managed to conquer much of Europe Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- subdues
- dominates
- subjects
- overcomes
- defeats
- vanquishes
- subjugates
- enslaves
- overpowers
- pacifies
- reduces
- crushes
- beats
- subordinates
- annihilates
- smashes
- quells
- suppresses
- trounces
- routs
- licks
- clobbers
- thrashes
- whips
- wallops
- represses
- smothers
- quashes
- silences
- squashes
- drubs
- skunks
- squelches
- mows (down)
- breaks
- triumphs (over)
- prevails (over)
- puts down
- clamps down (on)
- snuffs (out)
- cracks down (on)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- liberates
- frees
- emancipates
- springs
- enfranchises
- unbinds
- releases
- discharges
- unchains
- manumits
- unfetters
- uncages
2
as in overcomes
to achieve a victory over love conquers all, or so romance novels would have us believe Synonyms & Similar Words
- overcomes
- defeats
- masters
- beats
- gets
- subdues
- takes
- stops
- dispatches
- surmounts
- succeeds
- upends
- licks
- bests
- overwhelms
- trims
- buries
- overbears
- worsts
- surpasses
- gets around
- skunks
- finishes
- overmatches
- does down
- sweeps
- annihilates
- slaughters
- crushes
- exceeds
- vanquishes
- excels
- gets the better of
- scores
- subjugates
- wins (against)
- flattens
- trounces
- triumphs (over)
- prevails (over)
- routs
- transcends
- excels
- overpowers
- clobbers
- upsets
- knocks for a loop
- thrashes
- tops
- flourishes
- overthrows
- wallops
- blows out
- whips
- bombs
- outshines
- breaks
- unseats
- outdoes
- blows away
- eclipses
- noses out
- creams
- outdistances
- outstrips
- caps
- skins
- smokes
- pips
- waxes
- overtops
- knocks over
- drubs
- shellacs
- snows under
- knocks off
- betters
- edges (out)
- outfights
- aces (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- loses (to)
- falls
- fails
- collapses
- flunks
- folds
- washes out
- goes down
- flops
- goes under
- gives up
3
as in prevails
to achieve victory (as in a contest) a coach who demands that his team conquer, whatever the cost Synonyms & Similar Words
- prevails
- wins
- triumphs
- succeeds
- overcomes
- contends
- sweeps
- kicks butt
- vies
- carries the day
- squeaks
- squeezes
- romps
- breezes
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- loses
- fails
- collapses
- struggles
- folds
- flops
- wanes
- declines
- washes out
- slips
- flounders
- slumps
- get lucky
- get married
- get misty
- get moving
- get noticed
- get nowhere
- get off
- get off (on)
- get off on
- get off on (something)
- get off on something
- get off on the right foot
- get off on the wrong foot
- get off one's ass
- get off one's butt
- get off one's chest
- get off scot-free
- get off someone's case
- get off the ground
- get off to a bad start
- get off to a good start
- get off to a good/bad start
- get off with
- get off with (someone)
- get off with someone