vanquish

[vang-kwish, van-]

verb (used with object)

1. to conquer or subdue by superior force, as in battle.

   Synonyms: quell, crush, suppress, subjugate

2. to defeat in any contest or conflict; be victorious over.

   to vanquish one's opponent in an argument.

3. to overcome or overpower.

   He vanquished all his fears.

vanquish

/ ˈvæŋkwɪʃ /

verb

1. to defeat or overcome in a battle, contest, etc; conquer

2. to defeat or overcome in argument or debate

3. to conquer (an emotion)

Other Word Forms

• vanquishable adjective
• vanquisher noun
• vanquishment noun
• unvanquishable adjective
• unvanquished adjective
• unvanquishing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of vanquish¹

1300–50; Middle English vencuschen, venquisshen < Old French vencus past participle and venquis past tense of veintre < Latin vincere to overcome

Word History and Origins

Origin of vanquish¹

C14: vanquisshen, from Old French venquis vanquished, from veintre to overcome, from Latin vincere

Example Sentences

The Latinos that Manifest Destiny tried to vanquish are now nearly half of the population of this most American of cities.

From Los Angeles Times

“Ultimately, the victor will not always be victorious and the vanquished will never be defeated.”

From Los Angeles Times

And writers’ enthusiasm for em dashes is often hard-won, given that plenty of editors and readers would be happy to vanquish those ostentatious marks from the page entirely.

From Salon

Without their sacrifice, as well as that of the other allies, the Nazis would not have been vanquished.

From BBC

The work represents "the vanquishing of nuclear war through the historic treaty between the Soviet Union and the United States", according to the UN website.

From BBC

Related Words

• conquer 
• crush 
• overcome 
• overpower 
• quell 
• repress 
• rout 
• subdue 
• surmount