vin-
A1Neutral to formal (depends on context).
Definition
Meaning
To achieve victory in a contest or competition; to succeed through effort.
To gain or secure something desirable (e.g., respect, approval); to overcome obstacles; to persuade.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
"Win" requires a direct object (e.g., a game, prize, argument) or is intransitive when referring to being victorious (e.g., 'They won'). It focuses on the positive outcome, not the defeat of an opponent (cf. 'beat').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is virtually identical. Minor differences may exist in sporting idioms (e.g., BrE 'win the league', AmE 'win the championship').
Connotations
Uniformly positive, associated with success, merit, and reward.
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both dialects.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Sb] win [sth] (e.g., win a prize)[Sb] win (intransitive) (e.g., Our team won.)[Sb] win [Sb] over (phrasal verb)[Sb] win [Sb] [sth] (double object, rare, e.g., His performance won him acclaim).Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “win the day”
- “win hands down”
- “win someone's heart”
- “you can't win them all”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To secure a deal, contract, or client (e.g., 'win the account').
Academic
To receive a prize, fellowship, or argument (e.g., 'win a grant').
Everyday
To succeed in games, sports, or competitions (e.g., 'win a game').
Technical
In computing/game theory: for a program or strategy to achieve its defined goal.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- We hope to win the cup this season.
- She won a place at Oxford.
American English
- They're going to win the Super Bowl.
- He won a scholarship to Harvard.
adjective
British English
- The winning ticket was sold in Manchester.
- She gave her winning smile.
American English
- The winning team will advance.
- He has a winning personality.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I want to win this game.
- Did your team win yesterday?
- She won a prize.
- It's hard to win an argument with him.
- The company won a major new contract.
- He won her over with his charm.
- The policy failed to win public support.
- They won the case on a technicality.
- Her performance won her critical acclaim.
- The novel won the prestigious Booker Prize.
- The lawyer's closing statement ultimately won the day for the defence.
- He struggled to win back their trust after the scandal.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
WIN sounds like the beginning of 'WINner'. A 'W' looks a bit like a victory crown.
Conceptual Metaphor
ARGUMENT IS WAR (win an argument); LIFE IS A GAMBLE (win the lottery); COMPETITION IS A RACE (win the race).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'выиграть' (correct) and 'победить' (to defeat). 'Win' focuses on gaining the prize/victory itself, while 'beat' (победить) focuses on defeating an opponent. E.g., 'We won the game' (We got victory) vs. 'We beat the other team' (We defeated them).
Common Mistakes
- *I won him at chess. (Correct: I beat him at chess.)
- *She won against her rival. (Correct but less common than 'She beat her rival' or 'She won the match.')
- *We won their team. (Correct: We beat their team. OR We won against their team.)
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'win' INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
You 'win' a game, prize, or war. You 'beat' a person, team, or opponent. You win something, but you beat someone.
Yes, as an intransitive verb: 'Did we win?', 'Who's winning?'
It's a phrasal verb meaning to gain someone's support or favour, often by persuasion. E.g., 'He won over the sceptical audience with his speech.'
Yes, frequently. Common collocations are 'win a contract', 'win new business', 'win market share'.