# win

/ˈwɪn/ (US) · /wˈɪn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/win
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to be victorious

verb · CEFR A1

to be the best or first in a game, race, or competition.

For teachers: to achieve victory in a competition, contest, or conflict. Often used intransitively to describe the outcome of a struggle.

- Our team played very well and managed to win the match by two goals.
- Despite the challenging weather conditions, the underdog managed to win the championship, defying all expert predictions made before the season started.

### 2. to gain a prize

verb · CEFR A1

to get a prize or money because you were successful in a competition.

For teachers: to acquire a prize, award, or specific benefit as a result of success in a contest or lottery.

- She was so happy when she won a gold medal at the Olympics.
- The researcher won a prestigious grant that will fund her study on renewable energy for the next three years.

### 3. to persuade or attract

verb · CEFR B2

to persuade someone to support you or agree with you.

For teachers: to gain the support, favour, or consent of someone, typically through persuasion or charm. Often used with the particle 'over'.

- The politician worked hard to win over the voters before the election.
- The marketing team struggled to win the client's approval, eventually succeeding after presenting a revised strategy that addressed all previous concerns.

### 4. to extract resources

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to get coal, oil, or metal out of the ground.

For teachers: to extract ore, coal, or other minerals from a mine or quarry.

- The company uses new technology to win coal from deep underground.
- The geological survey assessed the feasibility of winning rare earth metals from the newly discovered deposits in the northern territory.

### 5. a victory

noun · CEFR A2

a success in a game, an election, or a competition.

For teachers: a specific instance of victory or success in a competitive context.

- The team's latest win puts them at the top of the league table.
- After a series of disappointing losses, the narrow win in the final minutes of the game provided a much-needed boost to the squad's morale.

### 6. a positive outcome

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a small success or something good that happens in your life or work.

For teachers: a successful achievement or a positive outcome, often used in professional or personal development contexts.

- Getting the project finished a day early was a big win for the whole team.
- Securing the partnership was a major win for the startup, providing them with the necessary infrastructure to scale their operations globally.

## Examples

- The team celebrated their first win of the season.
- Getting the kids to bed by eight o'clock felt like a major win after such a long day.
- Securing the contract despite the aggressive bidding from competitors was a significant win for the firm's expansion strategy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.