prevail

/prɪˈveɪl/ (bre, ipa) · /prɪˈveɪl/ (ame, ipa) · /pri-ˈvāl/ (ame, mw)

prevail — verb

  • prevailpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • prevailshe / she / it
  • prevailedpast simple
  • prevailing-ing form

1. to win in a contest or argument by sustaining your position through persistent e

1.動詞不及物C2
釋義

to win in a contest or argument by sustaining your position through persistent effort, so that your viewpoint gains acceptance over opposing views

例句

After months of debate, Théo's argument for a shorter work week finally prevailed.

prevail + after struggle; finally prevailed

In the final round of the court case, justice prevailed over personal interests.

prevail over + noun phrase

同義詞
  • triumph

    more dramatic and emotional; suggests a clear, joyful victory rather than just gaining control

  • win out

    less formal; common in everyday speech, especially in phrasal form 'win out over'

  • conquer

    stronger, more decisive; implies complete defeat of an opponent rather than gradual acceptance

反義詞
  • succumb

    opposite direction — giving in to the opponent instead of prevailing over them

  • lose

    general opposite; prevail implies winning, so losing is the direct contrary outcome

文法句型

prevail + over/against + noun phrase

用法筆記

The subject of this sense is often an abstract concept such as justice, reason, truth, or a particular viewpoint, rather than a person. The specific opponent or obstacle is introduced by the preposition 'over' or 'against'.

常見錯誤

❌The team prevailed the rival in the championship.
✅The team prevailed over the rival in the championship.
💡prevail is intransitive and needs 'over' or 'against' to name the opponent.
❌He prevailed to pass the exam.
✅He prevailed in passing the exam.
💡use 'in' or 'over' rather than a to-infinitive to show the area of success.

2. to be broadly present or found widely across a community, region, or era — for i

2.動詞不及物C1
釋義

to be broadly present or found widely across a community, region, or era — for instance, a certain custom being common among older generations, or dry conditions stretching across a whole territory

例句

A strong sense of community still prevails among the older residents.

prevail among + group of people

During the dry season, hot and dusty conditions prevail across the entire region.

conditions prevail + across/in + place

同義詞
  • predominate

    stronger emphasis on being the most frequent or influential element; more formal

  • be widespread

    more neutral and less formal; straightforward description without the formal register of prevail

  • be prevalent

    shares the same root; used in similar contexts but as an adjective rather than a verb

反義詞
  • be rare

    if something prevails it is common, so 'rare' is the obvious opposite in frequency terms

  • be absent

    direct opposite — not present at all rather than widely present

文法句型

prevail + among/in/throughout + place or group

用法筆記

Common in academic and journalistic writing. This sense describes situations, conditions, attitudes, or customs that are broadly present at a given time or place. It is not used with a direct object and rarely takes a human subject acting intentionally.

常見錯誤

❌A happy mood prevailed in the party.
✅A cheerful atmosphere prevailed throughout the festival.
💡prevail suggests something enduring and widespread; avoid using it for brief, one-time events.