winner
/ˈwɪnə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈwɪnər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈwi-nər/ (ame, mw)
winner — noun
- winnersingular
- winnersplural
1. A person, team, or animal that finishes first in a race, match, election, or any
A person, team, or animal that finishes first in a race, match, election, or any event where people try to do better than each other.
Yael was the winner of the school spelling bee after ten rounds of difficult words.
the winner of [competition]
The winner of the match lifted a silver cup and posed for photos on the field.
the winner of [competition] + past tense action
Quinn bought a lottery ticket and became the winner of a two-million-dollar prize.
No one had expected Niran to be the winner of the marathon, yet he crossed the line first.
The winner of the art contest got her painting displayed in the town library for a whole year.
- champion
emphasises the title and status of having beaten all rivals; often used for tournament winners.
- victor
more formal and dramatic; common in historical or military contexts (the victor of the battle).
- first-place finisher
literal description of position in a race or ranking.
- loser
the person or team that is beaten.
文法句型
the winner of [a competition / race / game / election]
用法筆記
When specifying the event, use 'the winner of [a competition / race / election]'. In informal contexts, 'the winner' alone is enough if the context is clear.
常見錯誤
2. In a sports game, the final goal, point, or successful shot that gives one side
In a sports game, the final goal, point, or successful shot that gives one side the lead and decides which side wins.
With only one minute left on the clock, Mert fired the winner into the top corner.
fires / scores the winner
Gabriela's header in extra time was the winner that sent her team to the finals.
The referee checked the replay to see if the shot had crossed the line for the winner.
A brilliant backhand from Joon landed just inside the line to clinch the winner.
- deciding goal
the goal that decides the match; more explicit but less punchy.
- game-winner
North American term; common in basketball and hockey.
- match point
specific to tennis and volleyball; the point that ends the match.
文法句型
[player] scores / hits / fires the winner
用法筆記
Common in football (soccer), tennis, badminton, and hockey. Do not use for the final score of long-runner events like marathons — only for games where a specific scoring event (goal, point, shot) decides the outcome.
常見錯誤
3. A product, project, plan, or idea that does very well or is widely liked — for e
A product, project, plan, or idea that does very well or is widely liked — for example, a new ice cream flavour that sells out in a week, or a proposal that everyone at work agrees on.
The new bubble tea shop on campus turned out to be a real winner with students.
a real winner — informal for a very successful thing
Sade's design for the festival poster was a winner; the committee chose it in ten minutes.
The Santos family's chili recipe proved a winner at the neighbourhood cook-off.
The marketing campaign was a clear winner, bringing in more new customers than expected.
文法句型
a winner
turn out to be a winner
prove a winner
用法筆記
Informal register; common in casual conversation and business contexts. Often modified by adjectives like 'real', 'clear', or 'proven'. Distinguish from sense 1: the subject here is a thing or idea, not a person in a contest — and the 'winning' is popularity or market performance rather than beating opponents.