Word
vanquish
Phoneticsvan·quish, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈvæŋkwɪʃ/
UK/vˈænkwɪʃ/
Definition
v. to beat someone or something completely in a fight, game, or contest. You use it when the win is clear and final.
v. to defeat an opponent thoroughly and decisively, especially in battle, sport, or rivalry. Implies complete overpowering rather than a narrow or temporary win.
Examples
“She trains hard to vanquish her fear of swimming.”
“After months of practice, our team finally vanquished the champions in the final match.”
“The novel ends as the aging king vanquishes his last rival, only to discover that victory has cost him everything he once loved.”
Examples
simple
“She trains hard to vanquish her fear of swimming.”
contextual
“After months of practice, our team finally vanquished the champions in the final match.”
complex
“The novel ends as the aging king vanquishes his last rival, only to discover that victory has cost him everything he once loved.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “vanquish” in context.
Verb
01. attempt to vanquish
“They attempted to vanquish their fears before the crucial match.”
verb + to + verb
02. help vanquish
“New tactics helped vanquish the previously unbeatable champions.”
verb + verb
03. seek to vanquish
“The hero seeks to vanquish the dark lord threatening the kingdom.”
verb + to + verb
04. struggle to vanquish
“He struggled to vanquish his self-doubt before the final debate.”
verb + to + verb
05. vanquish demon
“She worked hard to vanquish her inner demons before the Olympics.”
verb + noun
06. vanquish enemy
“The general led his troops to vanquish the enemy in a decisive battle.”
verb + noun
Adjective
07. completely vanquish
“The champion managed to completely vanquish his challenger in two minutes.”
adv + verb
08. decisively vanquish
“Our team decisively vanquished their arch-rivals in the national final.”
adv + verb
09. finally vanquish
“After years of defeats, she finally vanquished her longtime nemesis.”
adv + verb
10. utterly vanquish
“The army utterly vanquished the invaders and restored peace to the region.”
adv + verb
11. easily vanquish the holders
“The favourites easily vanquished the holders in the semi-final.”
12. seek to vanquish darkness
“Young heroes often seek to vanquish darkness in fantasy epics.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object.
Real-World Examples
“That changed in 1763, after British forces vanquished the French Empire from North America at tremendous cost .” “On Monday, Burhan said the regular army he leads would vanquish the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and never sign a deal with them, dashing new hopes of talks to end a war that has plunged Sudan into overlapping humanitarian crises.” “Before he could complete the book, his Samanid patrons were vanquished by the Ghaznavid Turks.” “That the victor shares the humanity of the most vulnerable of the vanquished; that there is no such thing as unalloyed victory in war.” Etymology
From Middle English venquysshen, vaynquisshen, borrowed from a conjugated form of Old French veincre, from Latin vincō.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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