conquer means to defeat in combat; to subjugate.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, conquer ranks #978 of 14,308 for Most Malleable Words, #2,382 of 14,414 for Most Elegant Words, #7,082 of 14,423 for Most Sublime Words, #7,127 of 14,431 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound.
conquer is pronounced /ˈkɒŋkə/.
Why “conquer” is a great word
To overcome and take control of something by force, especially in war, or to surmount a significant difficulty. From Middle English *conqueren*, from Old French *conquerre* ("to conquer, defeat"), from Vulgar Latin *conquaerere*, an alteration of Latin *conquirere* ("to seek for, procure"), from *con-* ("together") + *quaerere* ("to seek, acquire"). Displaced native Old English *oferwinnan*. First attested c. 1200. Unlike "subdue" (which implies a temporary quelling) or "overcome" (a broader triumph over abstract obstacles), to conquer is to seize, to finalize, to make territory permanently and indisputably one's own. It is the standard planted in the citadel's heart, the glacier ground to dust beneath relentless boots, the private demon named and shackled in the silent dawn. The word contains its own finality: to conquer is not merely to fight but to finish, and in doing so, to discover that the seeking was always sweeter than the having.
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.
verb
- 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.”
- To acquire by force of arms, win in war; to become ruler of; to subjugate.“In 1453, the Ottoman Empire conquered Constantinople.”
- To overcome an abstract obstacle.“Today I conquered my fear of flying by finally boarding a plane.”
- To gain, win, or obtain by effort.“to conquer freedom; to conquer a peace”
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.
- vanquish 89% match — To defeat (someone); to overcome. vs conquer →
- subjugate 87% match — Forced into submission; subjugated. vs conquer →
- besiege 85% match — To beset or surround with armed forces for the purpose of compelling to surrender, to lay siege to, beleaguer. vs conquer →
- debellation 85% match — The act of conquering or subjugation in war. vs conquer →
- prevail 85% match — To be superior in strength, dominance, influence, or frequency; to have or gain the advantage over others; to have the upper hand; to outnumber others. vs conquer →
- triumph 84% match — A conclusive success following an effort, conflict, or confrontation of obstacles; victory; conquest. vs conquer →
- oppress 84% match — To keep down by unjust force. vs conquer →
- debellate 83% match — To conquer (someone) in war; to subdue. vs conquer →