conquer

[ kong-ker ]
See synonyms for: conquerconqueredconqueringconquerable on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to acquire by force of arms; win in war: to conquer a foreign land.

  2. to overcome by force; subdue: to conquer an enemy.

  1. to gain, win, or obtain by effort, personal appeal, etc.: conquer the hearts of his audience.

  2. to gain a victory over; surmount; master; overcome: to conquer disease and poverty; to conquer one's fear.

verb (used without object)
  1. to be victorious; make conquests; gain the victory: Despite their differences, their love will conquer.

Origin of conquer

1
First recorded in 1200–50; Middle English conqueren, from Anglo-French conquerir, Old French conquerre, from Vulgar Latin conquērere (unrecorded) “to acquire,” from Latin conquīrere “to seek out”; see con-, query

synonym study For conquer

2. See defeat.

Other words for conquer

Other words from conquer

  • con·quer·a·ble, adjective
  • con·quer·a·ble·ness, noun
  • con·quer·ing·ly, adverb
  • half-con·quered, adjective
  • pre·con·quer, verb (used with object)
  • re·con·quer, verb (used with object)
  • un·con·quer·a·ble, adjective
  • un·con·quered, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use conquer in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for conquer

conquer

/ (ˈkɒŋkə) /


verb
  1. to overcome (an enemy, army, etc); defeat

  2. to overcome (an obstacle, feeling, desire, etc); surmount

  1. (tr) to gain possession or control of by or as if by force or war; win

  2. (tr) to gain the love, sympathy, etc, of (someone) by seduction or force of personality

Origin of conquer

1
C13: from Old French conquerre, from Vulgar Latin conquērere (unattested) to obtain, from Latin conquīrere to search for, collect, from quaerere to seek

Derived forms of conquer

  • conquerable, adjective
  • conquerableness, noun
  • conquering, adjective
  • conqueror, noun

Collins 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 conquer

conquer

see divide and conquer.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.