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Winner

n. joyful, capable everyday

What it means

Meaning 1

A person or side that succeeds in a contest or selection.

Reach for it when naming the successful participant under stated rules

The winner thanked the other finalists before accepting the medal.

Meaning 2

A choice, idea, or thing that proves especially successful or appealing.

Reach for it when giving informal approval to the option that performs best

The repairable steel hinge was the clear winner in the field test.

Words to choose between 8

By register, from playful at the top to literary at the bottom, and by meaning across. Tap a word to see when it fits.
Meaning 1Meaning 2
playful
  • Winner (this word)
  • hit
everyday
  • Winner (this word)
warm
professional
formal

Meaning 1: A person or side that succeeds in a contest or selection.

  • warm

    champion

    Fits when a title or repeated excellence is part of the result

    Careful Champion can also mean advocate and may overstate one win.

  • professional

    first-place finisher

    Fits when ranking should be stated exactly

    Careful The phrase does not fit elections, games without placements, or subjective awards.

  • professional

    successful candidate

    Fits when a selection rather than a contest is involved

    Careful Successful candidate is procedural and may refer to eligibility rather than being the sole winner.

  • formal

    victor

    Fits when success over opposition deserves a stronger tone

    Careful Victor sounds ceremonial and is unnatural for lotteries or routine selections.

Meaning 2: A choice, idea, or thing that proves especially successful or appealing.

  • playful

    hit

    Fits when strong audience approval is the evidence

    Careful A hit can be fashionable but perform poorly on the practical criteria.

  • everyday

    success

    Fits when the thing achieves its purpose

    Careful Success does not necessarily mean it outperformed alternatives.

  • warm

    standout

    Fits when one item attracts especially favorable attention

    Careful A standout can be unusual rather than actually effective.

  • professional

    best option

    Fits when comparison supports a decision

    Careful Best is an absolute claim and requires clear criteria.

Opposites 4

  • loser
  • runner-up
  • failure
  • dud

Common phrases 3

  • clear winner

    The low-maintenance pump was the clear winner after six months of testing.

  • overall winner

    The overall winner performed consistently in every event.

  • award winner

    The award winner used her speech to credit the full research team.

Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Recording: Acadienenexil, American accent, from Wikimedia Commons, CC0 Updated