Vanquish

To overcome a serious obstacle or difficulty completely.

Reach for it when portraying a decisive victory over a formidable opponent or difficulty

Careful treatment helped her finally vanquish the persistent infection.

• everyday

  defeat

  winning against an opponent is the plain fact

  not when Defeat does not promise final or complete victory.

• warm

  overcome

  a person moves beyond hardship or fear

  not when Overcome suits obstacles better than military opponents.

• warm

  prevail over

  eventual success follows sustained struggle

  not when Prevailing need not eliminate the difficulty.

• professional

  master

  skill brings a demanding task under control

  not when Mastery is learned command, not a contest victory.

• formal

  rout

  an opposing force is defeated overwhelmingly

  not when Rout applies poorly to an illness or private fear.

• formal

  subdue

  resistance is brought under control

  not when Subdue suggests force and continued submission.

• literary

  conquer

  dramatic mastery over territory or challenge is intended

  not when Conquer can evoke domination and colonial violence.

• lose to
• succumb to
• surrender

• vanquish an opponent

  The challenger trained patiently to vanquish an opponent who had never lost.

• vanquish fear

  Small rehearsals helped her vanquish fear before the live broadcast.

• finally vanquish

  The clinic hopes to finally vanquish the preventable infection.