Definition of prevail Prevail

/pɹɪvejˈl/ - [priveyl] - pre•vail

We found 16 definitions of prevail from 6 different sources.

What does prevail mean?

Verb prevails, prevailing, prevailed
prevail - continue to exist; "These stories die hard"; "The legend of Elvis endures"
		persist, die hard, run, endure
		continue exist over a prolonged period of time; "The bad weather continued for two more weeks"
		carry over transfer or persist from one stage or sphere of activity to another
		reverberate treat, process, heat, melt, or refine in a reverberatory furnace; "reverberate ore"
prevail - prove superior; "The champion prevailed, though it was a hard fight"
		triumph
		win be the winner in a contest or competition; be victorious; "He won the Gold Medal in skating"; "Our home team won"; "Win the game"
prevail - use persuasion successfully; "He prevailed upon her to visit his parents"
		persuade cause somebody to adopt a certain position, belief, or course of action; twist somebody's arm; "You can't persuade me to buy this ugly vase!"
prevail - be valid, applicable, or true; "This theory still holds"
		hold, obtain
		exist, be have an existence, be extant; "Is there a God?"
prevail - be larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance; "Money reigns supreme here"; "Hispanics predominate in this neighborhood"
		predominate, dominate, rule, reign
		override ride (a horse) too hard
		overarch form an arch over; "Big rocks overarch the stream"
		outbalance, preponderate, outweigh, overbalance weigh more heavily; "these considerations outweigh our wishes"

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prevail (Verb)
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.
prevail (Verb)
To be current, widespread or predominant; to have currency or prevalence.
prevail (Verb)
To succeed in persuading or inducing.

prevail (v. i.)
To overcome; to gain the victory or superiority; to gain the advantage; to have the upper hand, or the mastery; to succeed; -- sometimes with over or against.
prevail (v. i.)
To be in force; to have effect, power, or influence; to be predominant; to have currency or prevalence; to obtain; as, the practice prevails this day.
prevail (v. i.)
To persuade or induce; -- with on, upon, or with; as, I prevailedon him to wait.

prevail
To emerge; to be visible or larger in number, quantity, power, status or importance.
prevail
To show or prove superior.
prevail
To be valid, applicable, or true.

prevail
prē-vāl′, v.i. to be very powerful: to gain the victory: to have the upper hand: to have greater influence or effect: to overcome: to be in force: to succeed.—v.t. (obs.) avail.—adj. Prevail′ing, having great power: controlling: bringing about results: very general or common.—adv. Prevail′ingly.—ns. Prevail′ment (Shak.), prevalence; Prev′alence, Prev′alency, the state of being prevalent or wide-spread: superior strength or influence: preponderance: efficacy.—adj. Prev′alent, prevailing: having great power: victorious: wide-spread: most common.—adv. Prev′alently. [Fr. prévaloir—L. prævalēre—præ, before, valēre, to be powerful.]