win

The word “win” means to come out on top in a contest, game, war, or competition. In plain terms, to succeed in a contest or gain something through effort, or the success itself as a noun.

“Win” is pronounced WIHN (/ˈwɪn/ in IPA).

Here is “win” used in a sentence: “That was a hard-fought win for the underdogs.”

Words with a similar meaning to “win” include achieve, bring home the bacon, deserve, earn, hit the jackpot and indebt.

The opposite of “win” — its antonyms — are lose and fail.

Depending on how it is used, “win” can be a verb and a noun.

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

“Win” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

The direct opposite of "win" is "lose," to fail to come out on top in a contest or game. Related opposites include "be defeated" and, in some situations, "draw" or "tie," where neither side wins. Which opposite fits depends on the situation: losing means finishing behind, drawing means finishing level.

You "win" a contest but you "beat" an opponent. "Win" focuses on claiming the victory or prize, as in "we won the match." "Beat" focuses on overcoming the other side, as in "we beat the other team." They describe the same result from different angles, so the object of each verb is what changes.

A runner crossing the finish line first wins the race; a team scoring the most points wins the game. Beyond sport, a company can win a contract, a lawyer can win a case, and a candidate can win an election. In each, someone comes out on top of a contest or competition.