prevail
verb/prɪˈveɪl/
/prɪˈveɪl/
(formal)Verb Forms
Phrasal Verbs| present simple I / you / we / they prevail | /prɪˈveɪl/ /prɪˈveɪl/ |
| he / she / it prevails | /prɪˈveɪlz/ /prɪˈveɪlz/ |
| past simple prevailed | /prɪˈveɪld/ /prɪˈveɪld/ |
| past participle prevailed | /prɪˈveɪld/ /prɪˈveɪld/ |
| -ing form prevailing | /prɪˈveɪlɪŋ/ /prɪˈveɪlɪŋ/ |
- [intransitive] to exist or be very common at a particular time or in a particular place
- prevail in something We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons.
- prevail among somebody Those beliefs still prevail among certain social groups.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- always
- usually
- eventually
- …
- be likely to
- must
- should
- …
- against
- over
Definitions on the go
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- [intransitive] prevail (against/over something) (of ideas, opinions, etc.) to be accepted, especially after a struggle or an argument synonym triumph
- Justice will prevail over tyranny.
- Fortunately, common sense prevailed.
Extra ExamplesTopics Successc1- Her happy outlook always prevailed.
- His view eventually prevailed over theirs.
- The wishes of 20 million people ought to prevail against those of 200 thousand.
- The Act requires the will of the Commons ultimately to prevail over that of the upper house.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- always
- usually
- eventually
- …
- be likely to
- must
- should
- …
- against
- over
- [intransitive] prevail (against/over somebody) to defeat an opponent, especially after a long struggle
- In a one-sided final, Spain prevailed against title-holder Croatia 40–34.
- They wasted two penalties but still prevailed 2–1.
Word Originlate Middle English: from Latin praevalere ‘have greater power’, from prae ‘before’ + valere ‘have power’.
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prevail