conquer

UK: /ˈkɒŋkə^r/ US: /ˈkɑŋkɚ/ ,(kong′kər)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•quer /ˈkɑŋkɚ/   v. 

1. to take or acquire by force of arms;
   win in war: [~ + object]
   to conquer a foreign land.
   [no object]
   Caesar wrote, "I came, I saw, I conquered.''
2. to overcome by force;
   defeat:
   [~ + object] to conquer an enemy.
3. [~ + object] to win by effort, personal appeal, etc.:
   She conquered the hearts of the audience.
4. [~ + object] to gain control over (fear, a bad habit, etc.);
   master.

con•quer•a•ble, adj. 
con•quer•or, n. [countable] See -quer-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

con•quer  (kong′kər), v.t. 

1. to acquire by force of arms;
   win in war:
   to conquer a foreign land.
2. to overcome by force;
   subdue:
   to conquer an enemy.
3. to gain, win, or obtain by effort, personal appeal, etc.:
   conquer the hearts of his audience.
4. to gain a victory over;
   surmount;
   master;
   overcome:
   to conquer disease and poverty; to conquer one's fear.

v.i. 

5. to be victorious;
   make conquests;
   gain the victory:
   Despite their differences, their love will conquer.

• Vulgar Latin *conquērere to acquire (for Latin conquīrere to seek out). See con-, query
• Anglo-French conquerir, Old French conquerre
• Middle English conqueren 1200–50

con′quer•a•ble, adj. 
con′quer•a•ble•ness, n. 
con′quer•ing•ly, adv. 
Synonyms

• 2. vanquish, overpower, overthrow, subjugate. See defeat. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

conquer / ˈkɒŋkə/ verb

1. to overcome (an enemy, army, etc); defeat
2. to overcome (an obstacle, feeling, desire, etc); surmount
3. (transitive) to gain possession or control of by or as if by force or war; win

Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French conquerre, from Vulgar Latin conquērere (unattested) to obtain, from Latin conquīrere to search for, collect, from quaerere to seek

ˈconquerable adjective

ˈconquering adjective

ˈconqueror noun