winverb
uk/wɪn/us/wɪn/present participle winning, past tense and past participle wonA2 [ I or T ] to achieve first position and/or get a prize in a competition, election, fight, etc.:
Which year was it that Italy won the World Cup?
He won first prize/a bottle of wine in the raffle.
Who's winning?
This is the third medal she's won this season.
Who won the men's finals at the Open?
They won the war, although it cost them millions of lives.
If this government win the next election, I'm leaving the country.
Everyone likes winning an argument.
[ + two objects ] It was his goal that won us the match/won the match for us.
Her firm has just won (= beaten other companies to get) a cleaning contract worth £3 million.
C2 [ T ] to receive something positive, such as approval, loyalty, or love because you have earned it:
Her plans have won the support of many local people.
This is Jamie, the four-year old who won the hearts of the nation (= made everyone love him and/or feel sympathy for him).
She would do anything to win his love.
Winning back his trust was the hardest part.
More examples
- Brazil are favourites to win this year's World Cup.
- He won the award for best actor, and deservedly so.
- Whoever wins the election is going to have a difficult job ahead of them.
- A recurring knee injury may have impaired his chances of winning the tournament.
- She delivered a final serve from the baseline to win the match.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Winning, losing & scoring in sport
- against the run of play idiom
- close-run
- convincing
- do the double over sb idiom
- drubbing
- game changer
- game-changing
- hold
- lead 1
- pip
- pummel
- retire
- run away with sth
- square
- strike gold idiom
- varsity
- walk it idiom
- walkaway
- walkover
- won
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Winning and defeating
Getting, receiving and accepting
Idiom(s)
sb can't win
win big
win hands down
win the day
you can't win 'em all
you win!
Phrasal verb(s)
win sb over
win out
win sb round
win through
winnoun [ C ]
uk/wɪn/us/wɪn/C1 an occasion when someone wins a game or competition:
It was the team's sixth consecutive win this season.
Everyone was predicting a Republican win at the last election and look what happened.
More examples
- The team went all out for a win.
- It was only their second win of the season.
- This win will go down in history.
- We need two wins to dislodge the French team from first place.
- In the end, the match finished in a win for the home side.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Winning, losing & scoring in sport
- against the run of play idiom
- close-run
- convincing
- do the double over sb idiom
- drubbing
- game changer
- game-changing
- hold
- lead 1
- pip
- pummel
- retire
- run away with sth
- square
- strike gold idiom
- varsity
- walk it idiom
- walkaway
- walkover
- won
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Winning and defeating