vanquish

/ˈvæŋkwɪʃ/

/ˈveɪŋkwɪʃ/

Other forms: vanquished; vanquishing; vanquishes

To vanquish is to be the complete and total winner, to overpower and overcome, whether in a contest, a race, or a war. It generally suggests a total trouncing, to the point of humiliation — or worse — for the loser.

Sometimes words for the same thing are effective in different ways because they offer different levels of meaning. For example, in a game, you can simply win, or you can vanquish your opponent. The former is enough, but the latter makes that defeat sound so much worse, like a total rout. Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once stated, "Against war it may be said that it makes the victor stupid and the vanquished revengeful."

Definitions of vanquish

1. verb

   come out better in a competition, race, or conflict
   synonyms: beat, beat out, crush, shell, trounce

   beat, circumvent, outfox, outsmart, outwit, overreach

   beat through cleverness and wit

   types:

   outpoint, outscore

   score more points than one's opponents

   walk over

   beat easily

   eliminate

   remove from a contest or race

   mop up, pip, rack up, whip, worst

   defeat thoroughly

   whomp

   beat overwhelmingly

   get the best, have the best, overcome

   overcome, usually through no fault or weakness of the person that is overcome

   rout, spread-eagle, spreadeagle

   defeat disastrously

   get the jump

   be there first

   cheat, chicane, chouse, jockey, screw, shaft

   defeat someone through trickery or deceit

   exceed, outdo, outgo, outmatch, outperform, outstrip, surmount, surpass

   be or do something to a greater degree

   conquer, get over, master, overcome, subdue, surmount

   get on top of; deal with successfully

   best, outdo, outflank, scoop, trump

   get the better of

   outfight

   to fight better than; get the better of

   overmaster, overpower, overwhelm

   overcome by superior force

   checkmate, mate

   place an opponent's king under an attack from which it cannot escape and thus ending the game

   immobilise, immobilize

   make defenseless

   outplay

   excel or defeat in a game

   annihilate, bat, clobber, cream, drub, lick, thrash

   beat thoroughly and conclusively in a competition or fight

   beat, circumvent, outfox, outsmart, outwit, overreach

   beat through cleverness and wit

   outgrow

   grow faster than

   outcry, outshout

   shout louder than

   outroar

   roar louder than

   outsail

   sail faster or better than

   outdraw

   draw a gun faster, or best someone in a gunfight

   outsell

   sell more than others

   outsell

   be sold more often than other, similar products

   outpace

   surpass in speed

   better, break

   surpass in excellence

   outshine

   attract more attention and praise than others

   outrange

   have a greater range than (another gun)

   outweigh

   be heavier than

   outbrave

   be braver than

   out-herod

   surpass someone in cruelty or evil

   outfox

   outdo someone in trickery

   shame

   surpass or beat by a wide margin

   bulldog

   throw a steer by seizing the horns and twisting the neck, as in a rodeo

   outmaneuver, outmanoeuvre, outsmart

   defeat by more skillful maneuvering

   steamroll, steamroller

   overwhelm by using great force

   outmarch

   march longer distances and for a longer time than

   outwear

   last longer than others

   type of:

   defeat, get the better of, overcome

   win a victory over