Dictionary

conquer en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈkɑŋkɚ/ (General-American)
• (US) audio
• /ˈkɒŋkə/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English conqueren, from Old French conquerre, from Late Latin conquaerere (“to knock, strike; to search for, procure”), from Latin con- + quaerere (“to seek, acquire”). Displaced native Old English oferwinnan.

Meanings

1. To defeat in combat; to subjugate.
   • I lay in the desert beyond all cities and sounds, and above me flowed the River of Silence through the sky; and on the desert’s edge night fought against the Sun, and suddenly conquered. 1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC, page 88:
2. To become a leader, decisive factor or champion in an area.
   • It was his campaign manager's strategy that truly conquered the election for him.
   • With her successes, she has truly conquered the committee, all of whose members now defer to her on most issues.
   • By the end of the season, he had conquered the sport of baseball.
3. To acquire by force of arms, win in war; to become ruler of; to subjugate.
   • I haue beene wooed, as I intreat thee now, / Euen by the ſterne, and direfull God of warre, / VVhoſe ſinowie necke in battel nere did bow, / VVho conquers where he comes in euery iarre; […] 1594, [William Shakespeare], Venus and Adonis, 2nd edition, London: […] Richard Field, […], →OCLC, [verse 17], lines [97–100]:
   • In 1453, the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople.
   • "Look at Clive - just a clerk, and he conquered India!" 1912, Arthur Conan Doyle, The Lost World […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC:
   • Taiwan's interests and Hong Kong's political and economic future are best served by close ties between their friends in the West and Beijing. For example, the fact that the PRC must choose between using force to conquer Taiwan and forfeiting its relationship with the United States is the best guarantee of Taipei's security. 1992, Richard Nixon, “The Pacific Triangle”, in Seize the Moment, Simon & Schuster, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 170:
   • We conquer'd France, but felt our captive's charms. 1714, Alexander Pope, Imitation of Horace, Book II. Sat. 6:
4. To overcome an abstract obstacle.
   • The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; for, even after she had conquered her love for the Celebrity, the mortification of having been jilted by him remained. 1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter VIII, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC:
   • to conquer difficulties or temptations
   • There are few sights that leave a railway lover more wistful than a desolate railway viaduct no longer carrying tracks. As with tunnels, so much effort was made to conquer the landscape, yet so many now stand forlorn. 2025 November 26, Tim Dunn, “Lost and found: historical assets”, in RAIL, number 1049, page 55:
   • Today I conquered my fear of flying by finally boarding a plane.
   • By winning words to conquer willing hearts, / And make persuasion do the work of fear. 1671, John Milton, “The First Book”, in Paradise Regain’d. A Poem. In IV Books. To which is Added, Samson Agonistes, London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for John Starkey […], →OCLC, page 1:
5. (dated) To gain, win, or obtain by effort.
   • to conquer freedom; to conquer a peace

Forms

Deriveds

conquest · conqueror · unconquering · unconquered · unconquerable · conquerment · all-conquering · conquerer · divide and conquer · reconquer · conquerable · conqueree · conqueringly · love conquers all · preconquer · conqueress

Relateds

conquest

Synonyms

overrun

Translations (119)

ru побежда́ть (defeat in combat) · cs dobývat (defeat in combat) · txb yuk- (defeat in combat) · ka დამორჩილება (defeat in combat) · sq pushtoj (defeat in combat) · cmn 征服 (defeat in combat) · uk захопи́ти (acquire by force of arms) · uk завойо́вувати (acquire by force of arms) · ang oferswīþan (defeat in combat) · kw tryghi (defeat in combat) · de erobern (defeat in combat) · sk dobývať (defeat in combat) · ru завоёвывать (defeat in combat) · eo konkeri (acquire by force of arms) · ru завоева́ть (defeat in combat) · izh voittaa (defeat in combat) · be здабы́ць (defeat in combat) · ar قَهَرَ (defeat in combat) · fr conquérir (defeat in combat) · hu hódít (defeat in combat) · es debelar (defeat in combat) · ko 정복하다 (defeat in combat) · uk захо́плювати (acquire by force of arms) · be заваёўваць (defeat in combat) · da sejre (defeat in combat) · uk здобува́ти (defeat in combat) · ru победи́ть (defeat in combat) · uk зага́рбувати (acquire by force of arms) · be здабыва́ць (defeat in combat) · he כָּבַשׁ (defeat in combat) · gl conquistar (acquire by force of arms) · be заваява́ць (defeat in combat) · pt superar (overcome abstract obstacle) · nrf contchéthi (defeat in combat) · bg покоря́вам (defeat in combat) · nah tequiua (defeat in combat) · fi voittaa (overcome abstract obstacle) · el νικώ (overcome abstract obstacle) · be перамага́ць (defeat in combat) · es superar (overcome abstract obstacle) · otk 𐰞 (defeat in combat) · gd ceannsaich (defeat in combat) · uk завоюва́ти (acquire by force of arms) · uk дола́ти (defeat in combat) · gd ceannsaich (overcome abstract obstacle) · dlm cončaro (defeat in combat) · ar اِنْتَصَرَ (defeat in combat) · el κατακτώ (acquire by force of arms) · it conquistare (defeat in combat) · hi हराना (defeat in combat) · bg покоря́ (defeat in combat) · fr conquérir (acquire by force of arms) · la vincō (defeat in combat) · pl podbić (defeat in combat) · uk підко́рювати (defeat in combat) · be перамагчы́ (defeat in combat) · gl conquerir (defeat in combat) · da erobre (defeat in combat) · he כָּבַשׁ (overcome abstract obstacle) · ja やっつける (defeat in combat) · ang oferswīþan (acquire by force of arms) · uk подола́ти (defeat in combat) · ang oferwinnan (defeat in combat) · hi पछाड़ना (defeat in combat) · sa जयति (defeat in combat) · hy նվաճել (defeat in combat) · eo venki (overcome abstract obstacle) · ka გამარჯვება (defeat in combat) · az fəth etmək (defeat in combat) · ang oferwinnan (acquire by force of arms) · ja 倒す (defeat in combat) · el κατακτώ (defeat in combat) · ro cuceri (defeat in combat) · tr fethetmek (defeat in combat) · cmn 克服 (overcome abstract obstacle) · cs dobýt (defeat in combat) · uk зага́рбати (acquire by force of arms) · ka დაპყრობა (defeat in combat) · ja 征服する (defeat in combat) · it sconfiggere (defeat in combat) · be пакара́ць (defeat in combat) · pl podbijać (defeat in combat) · ca conquistar (defeat in combat) · fur concuistâ (defeat in combat) · ru покоря́ть (defeat in combat) · nah tepeua (defeat in combat) · cs zdolat (overcome abstract obstacle) · sv erövra (acquire by force of arms) · nl veroveren (defeat in combat) · uk перемага́ти (defeat in combat) · ru покори́ть (defeat in combat) · ro învinge (defeat in combat) · es conquistar (defeat in combat) · fi valloittaa (acquire by force of arms) · is sigra (defeat in combat) · fi voittaa (defeat in combat) · fa تسخیر کردن (defeat in combat) · ja 打ち勝つ (overcome abstract obstacle) · tl labanan (defeat in combat) · ca conquerir (defeat in combat) · gl conquistar (defeat in combat) · uk здобу́ти (defeat in combat) · mk освојува (defeat in combat) · eo konkeri (defeat in combat) · be пакары́ць (defeat in combat) · la debello (defeat in combat) · pt conquistar (defeat in combat) · da besejre (defeat in combat) · sk dobyť (defeat in combat) · jam done (defeat in combat) · it vincere (defeat in combat) · grc νικάω (defeat in combat) · pt vencer (overcome abstract obstacle) · mi raupatu (defeat in combat) · vi chinh phục (defeat in combat) · bg завою́вам (defeat in combat) · mk освои (defeat in combat) · hu meghódít (defeat in combat) · hi जीतना (defeat in combat)