Definition of prevail in English:

prevail

See synonyms for prevail

Translate prevail into Spanish

intransitive verb

[no object]

1Prove more powerful than opposing forces; be victorious.
‘it is hard for logic to prevail over emotion’
- ‘Your nation endured the blitz to prevail over an implacable foe.’
- ‘What is to be gained by letting egos prevail over common sense?’
- ‘Rapoport presents this method as a means to help one to prevail over an opponent in an argument.’
- ‘There are no Lycra-clad heroes swinging to the rescue; no guarantees that good will prevail over evil.’
- ‘The councillors are optimists and we believe that the good will prevail over evil in our Garden Town.’
- ‘Your voice was heard about the booking rules so let's hope good sense and fairness will prevail over the price policy.’
- ‘Punjab reorganised their game on resumption and managed to prevail over their rivals.’
- ‘Will they prevail over Australia and effectively raise prices over the next five years?’
- ‘There are no questions, no wringing hands and no doubt that good will prevail over evil.’
- ‘While he admitted to contemplating suicide, he resolved to prevail over adversity.’
- ‘We can hope that change for the good will ultimately prevail over change for the bad.’
- ‘He was of course, feeling the paternal love which can prevail over all other emotions.’
- ‘Don't you think that the same capitalist nature or profit motive will prevail over those countries?’
- ‘Abraham tries to prevail over God in the merit of having brought monotheism to the world.’
- ‘The better team should prevail over the course of several plays, so overtime is the way to go.’
- ‘Its name derives from romance, the literary form in which desires and dreams prevail over everyday realities.’
- ‘Their collective rights prevail over individual or corporate monopoly interests.’
- ‘Does it make sense to say that the rights of A to depasture his or her cattle shall prevail over the rights of B?’
- ‘I think it also possible that he has such a low opinion of her that he is determined that his opinions and views shall prevail over hers.’
- ‘The president was determined that the goal of winning the war prevail over all else.’
win, win out, win through, triumph, be victorious, be the victor, gain the victory, carry the day, carry all before one, finish first, come out ahead, come out on top, succeed, prove superior, conquer, overcome, achieve mastery, gain mastery, gain ascendancy
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1. 1.1Be widespread in a particular area at a particular time; be current.
  ‘an atmosphere of crisis prevails’
  ‘But they warned that if no rain falls within the next two months, a crisis might prevail in the area.’
  ‘The family home we stayed in was small, basic, clean and with a very friendly atmosphere prevailing.’
  ‘Cuba will make every effort to preserve the atmosphere of détente and mutual respect that has prevailed in that area in the past few years.’
  ‘Villages will always win over towns because the community spirit prevails more with lesser areas of population.’
  ‘The cynicism prevailing among the new generation deprives society of the inflow of fresh ideas.’
  ‘My latest academic upload again points to the generally unscientific culture that prevails in academic psychology.’
  ‘Everything feels dinky and a certain pre-war atmosphere prevails as we huddle inside, watching the rain lash at the portholes.’
  ‘A feverish atmosphere prevails at an otherwise-calm environment of the Museum complex.’
  ‘It is, if you like, the humanitarian consequences of this legal vacuum that currently prevails there.’
  ‘Others are just private murderous mafias that thrive in the atmosphere of lawlessness that prevails in large parts of the country.’
  ‘Natural Healing Crystals are on display in the store and a calming atmosphere prevails.’
  ‘These measures would greater assist in dealing with the problems currently prevailing.’
  ‘Jakarta's festive mood also prevailed in most other areas of the nation as millions of people celebrated on the day.’
  ‘A great atmosphere prevailed around the town in the afternoon with the amusements arcades open again.’
  ‘As it was the final meeting of the season before the Summer break, a festive atmosphere prevailed.’
  ‘After racing a wonderful atmosphere prevailed which led to an almighty sing song.’
  ‘You will have domestic worries and an unsettled atmosphere will prevail at home.’
  ‘There, trained facilitators ensure that a positive, supportive atmosphere prevails.’
  ‘Only when this has been set in place will we be able to assess the extent of the order that currently prevails.’
  ‘The atmosphere prevailing in the tribal belt has thrown up a serious challenge to the secular forces.’
  exist, be in existence, be present, be the case, hold, obtain, occur, be prevalent, be current, be rife, be rampant, be the order of the day, be customary, be established, be common, be widespread, be in force, be in effect
  current, existing, prevalent, usual, common, most usual, commonest, most frequent, general, mainstream
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2. 1.2prevail on/uponPersuade (someone) to do something.
  ‘she was prevailed upon to give an account of her work’
  ‘Set in a college situation, the fiery hero does not fall for the glances of the heroine, right from the start to the end and, instead, prevails upon the heroine to identify her priorities right.’
  ‘With that, Jefferson finally prevails upon us to return to work.’
  ‘He prevails upon a fey young Australian girl, haunted by ghosts of the past, to drive him across the outback so he can claim the car.’
  ‘Doolittle agrees but prevails on Eliza to give him some money after which he jubilantly gives voice to his general philosophy, ‘With a Little Bit of Luck’.’
  ‘With every reading of a death warrant, well-oiled machinery, comprising local and foreign lawyers, has kicked into action, repeatedly prevailing upon the courts to stay the hangman's hand.’
  ‘I have helped all kinds of disabled persons to set up telephone booths, prevailing upon the BSNL.’
  ‘The banks have been successful in prevailing upon this section to realise that there is joy in borrowing money too, and, of course, to the extent that it is spent to add style to living.’
  ‘He said the older men ‘were prevailing upon him’ to hand over items in payment.’
  ‘Soon hurlers started prevailing on him to repair hurleys for them, a service for the players which later developed into cutting and shaping new hurleys from a piece of raw wood.’
  ‘But the boaters prevailed upon the lieutenant to let them in.’
  ‘He said since the issue was of urgent importance and the Chief Minister prevailed upon him, the implementation of the project was expedited.’
  ‘If there is such, the surveyor involved should be prevailed upon to discover whether measures have been taken to obviate flooding, and if so, whether they work.’
  ‘Every home in the parish was prevailed upon to assist.’
  ‘I mean, eventually I prevailed upon her to show me, for instance, how to read a story without blinking your eyes.’
  ‘The authorities will be prevailed upon to ensure better living conditions for the senior citizens within the area, Mr Bhaskar said.’
  ‘The sales assistants must have prevailed upon me.’
  ‘Why has that nation not prevailed upon that government in which the satellite station is located to prevent the airing of these videotapes?’
  ‘If that MP can be prevailed upon to contact a minister of state and request a reply, the response will be referred to and drafted by the relevant civil servants.’
  ‘It was a nice song, I liked it so much I prevailed upon my Dad to buy it for me…’
  persuade, induce, talk someone into, coax, convince, make, get, press someone into, win someone over, sway, bring someone round, argue someone into, urge, pressure someone into, pressurize someone into, bring pressure to bear on, coerce, influence, prompt
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