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HOW TO PRONOUNCE

prevail

/pɹɪˈveɪl/

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American Pronunciation Guide · 1:03
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What does prevail mean?

verb

  1. 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.
  2. To triumph; to be victorious.
  3. To be current, widespread, or predominant; to have currency or prevalence.
More meanings (2)

verb

  1. To succeed in persuading or inducing.
  2. (obsolete) To avail.

Definitions regrouped for readability · CC BY-SA 4.0

IPA pronunciation

/pɹɪˈveɪl/

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0

Pronunciation varies by speaker and region. About these dictionary pronunciations.

In the pages of books

See this word in context.

There was undoubtedly much suffering, much struggling, but, on the whole, surely there was a balance of happiness—surely order did prevail.
Virginia WoolfThe Voyage OutProject Gutenberg ebook #144
“But I can’t prevail on myself to see him alone. Bring him in, Gabriel, and stay here as long as he stays.”
Wilkie CollinsThe MoonstoneProject Gutenberg ebook #155
More book examples (3)
By this time the morning had lost much of its beauty, and the dull grey sky characteristic of November began to prevail.
George BorrowWild Wales: Its People, Language and SceneryProject Gutenberg ebook #648
Yes, we are now stepping upon the plane of reason and intuition, where right, not might, will prevail and rule the world.
Thomas H. Burgoyne; Belle M. WagnerThe Light of Egypt; Or, The Science of the Soul and the Stars — Volume 2Project Gutenberg ebook #1650
Your magic and your beauty and your strength, Like hills at noon or sunlight on a tree, Sleeping prevail in earth and air.
Rupert BrookeThe Collected Poems of Rupert BrookeProject Gutenberg ebook #262