# winning

/ˈwɪnɪŋ/ (US) · /wˈɪnɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/winning
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. successful

adjective · CEFR A2

describing the person or team that finishes first or does best.

For teachers: denoting the person, team, or strategy that achieves victory in a contest or competition.

- The winning team celebrated their victory with a big party after the game.
- The winning candidate attributed her success to a grassroots campaign that focused on local infrastructure and education reform.

### 2. attractive

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

charming or attractive in a way that makes people like you.

For teachers: possessing a charming or attractive quality that tends to win over others.

- She had a winning smile that made everyone in the room feel welcome.
- Despite his lack of experience, his winning personality and natural charisma convinced the board to offer him the leadership position.

### 3. money won

noun · CEFR B1

the money you get from winning a game, a race, or a bet.

For teachers: the total amount of money or prizes gained through success in a competition, especially in gambling.

- He used his winnings from the horse race to buy a new bicycle.
- The professional poker player carefully managed his winnings, reinvesting a portion into higher-stakes tournaments while saving the rest for personal expenses.

Usage: Almost always used in the plural form 'winnings'.

### 4. mining

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a new area in a mine that is ready to be worked.

For teachers: a portion of a coalfield or mineral deposit that has been opened up and made ready for extraction.

- The miners moved into the new winning to start collecting coal.
- The engineering report detailed the structural integrity of the latest winning, ensuring that the ventilation systems were adequate for the deep-level extraction.

## Examples

- She spent all her winnings on a new car.
- After a lucky night at the casino, he decided to donate half of his winnings to a local charity.
- The athlete's career winnings from endorsements and tournament prizes now exceed several million dollars, reflecting her dominance in the sport over the last decade.

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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.