verb

win

WIHN

verb

To come out on top in a contest, game, war, or competition.

"Our team won the match 3–1."

"She won the chess tournament for the third year running."

To obtain something desirable through effort, skill, or luck.

"He won a scholarship to study abroad."

"They won first prize in the raffle."

To gain someone's trust, affection, or support, often "win over".

"Her honesty won the jury over."

noun

A single victory or successful result.

"That was a hard-fought win for the underdogs."

"The company needed a quick win to boost morale."

How to Use Win

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo succeed in a contest or gain something through effort, or the success itself as a noun.

Common mistake

Past tense is "won", not "winned".

Common pairings

win a game win over a big win win someone's trust

Word Forms

won past tense, wan past tense, win plural, won plural, wins plural, Wins plural, Wins plural, wins singular, win singular, won singular, winnest singular, wonnest singular, winneth singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

That was a hard-fought _____ for the underdogs.

Etymology

From Old English winnan, "to labour, strive, fight" — the sense narrowed over time from general struggle to specifically coming out victorious.

Synonyms

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achieve bring home the bacon deserve earn hit the jackpot indebt score triumph victory walk off with

Antonyms

lose fail

Related Words

accomplish accumulate achieve lose break pay defeat gain

Rhymes for win

twin Irwin Edwin Erwin Oswin Godwin darwin Corwin Baldwin Goodwin Gershwin

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achieve bring home the bacon deserve earn hit the jackpot indebt score triumph victory walk off with lose fail