Win Definition & Meaning

American

British

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Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms win 1 American [win] / wɪn /

verb (used without object)

won, winning

1. to finish first in a race, contest, or the like.

   My story won in the short fiction category.

2. to gain the victory; overcome an adversary.

   The home team won.

3. to succeed by striving or effort.

   He applied for a scholarship and won.

4. Slang. to be successful or competent and be acknowledged for it.

   My sister wins at finding the best bargains.

verb (used with object)

won, winning

1. to gain (a prize, fame, etc.).

   She won a million dollars in the lottery.

2. to be victorious or successful in (a game, race, battle, etc.).

   The Toronto Blue Jays won the World Series two years in a row.

3. to obtain or earn (a point or goal); score.

   You win 10 bonus points if you play all your cards in the same turn.

   Our team won two goals in the first five minutes!

4. to get by effort, as through labor, competition, or conquest.

   He won his post after years of striving.

   Synonyms: reach, procure, gain, achieve, acquire, secure, obtain, overcome, triumph, prevail, conquer

5. to gain (favor, love, consent, etc.), as by qualities or influence.

   You will win the kids’ respect if you take them seriously.

6. to gain the favor, regard, or adherence of.

   The candidate won younger voters with his proposal on tuition aid.

7. to gain the consent or support of; persuade (often followed byover ).

   The speech won them over to our side.

   Synonyms: sway, influence, induce, convince, bring around

8. to succeed in reaching (a place, condition, etc.), especially by great effort.

   They won the shore through a violent storm.

9. to persuade to marry; gain in marriage.

10. British Mining.

    1. to obtain (ore, coal, etc.).

    2. to prepare (a vein, bed, mine, etc.) for working, by means of shafts or the like.

noun

1. a victory, as in a game or horse race.

   The Flames have had only two wins in the whole season.

2. the position of the competitor who comes in first in a horse race, harness race, etc.

3. Slang.

   1. a success, or something good.

      She was having a bad week, so she really needed a win.

   2. the state or quality of being successful or good.

      There was so much win in last night’s episode!

adjective

1. Slang.

   1. successful or competent.

      She got accepted for publication on her first try—I call that a win person!

   2. very good or of high quality; awesome.

      To hear him play, now that was win!

      Those movers we hired did such a win job with our stuff.

interjection

1. Slang. (used to acknowledge success, competence, etc.).

   I just got tickets to the concert. Win!

verb phrase

1. win out to win or succeed, especially over great odds; triumph.

   His better nature finally won out.

idioms

1. win the internet. internet.

2. win one's way, to advance or succeed, as by ability or effort.

   The battalion won its way at great cost.

   Your original ideas have won their way in a field where it is difficult to say anything new.

3. for the win, (used to express enthusiasm for someone or something that is very good, likely to succeed, etc.).

   A plant-based diet, for the win!

win 2 American [win] / wɪn /

verb (used with object)

Scot. and North England. winned, winning

1. to dry (hay, wood, etc.) by exposure to air and sun.

win 1 British / wɪn /

verb

1. (intr) to achieve first place in a competition

2. (tr) to gain or receive (a prize, first place, etc) in a competition

3. (tr) to succeed in or gain (something) with an effort

   we won recognition

4. 1. to achieve recognition in some field of endeavour

   2. history to be knighted

5. to gain victory or triumph in (a battle, argument, etc)

6. (tr) to earn or procure (a living, etc) by work

7. (tr) to take possession of, esp violently; capture

   the Germans never won Leningrad

8. to reach with difficulty (a desired condition or position) or become free, loose, etc, with effort

   the boat won the shore

   the boat won through to the shore

9. (tr) to turn someone into (a supporter, enemy, etc)

   you have just won an ally

10. (tr) to gain (the sympathy, loyalty, etc) of someone

11. (tr) to obtain (a woman, etc) in marriage

12. (tr)

    1. to extract (ore, coal, etc) from a mine

    2. to extract (metal or other minerals) from ore

    3. to discover and make (a mineral deposit) accessible for mining

13. informal an expression of resignation after an unsuccessful attempt to overcome difficulties

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

1. informal a success, victory, or triumph

2. profit; winnings

3. the act or fact of reaching the finishing line or post first

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 win 2 British / wɪn /

verb

1. to dry (grain, hay, peat, etc) by exposure to sun and air

2. a less common word for winnow

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 win More Idioms

More idioms and phrases containing win

• (win) hands down
• no-win situation
• slow but sure (steady wins the race)
• you can't win
• you can't win 'em all

Related Words

See gain 1.

Other Word Forms

• winnable adjective

Etymology

Origin of win1

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb winnen, win(ne) “to strive, exert effort,” Old English winnan “to labor, work, fight, bear”; cognate with German gewinnen, Old Norse vinna, Gothic winnan

Origin of win2

First recorded in 1550–60; etymology uncertain; perhaps variant of winnow

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

With the Olympic team event that debuted in 2014, the United States has a chance to win the most Olympic medals for the country since four in 1960.

From Los Angeles Times

In a statement posted on its X account, the club said the home supporter suffered a medical emergency shortly after its win against Walsall at Carrow Road.

From BBC

They have one win in seven games, a fortunate triumph against Newcastle on 26 December.

From BBC

When asked if she would congratulate Venezuela’s María Corina Machado on winning the Nobel Peace Prize, the Mexican president sternly replied: “No comment.”

From The Wall Street Journal

United, currently a disappointing seventh in the Premier League, are without a win in four games and have managed only one victory in their last seven matches.

From Barron's

Related Words

• accomplish
• catch
• earn
• gain
• get
• have
• make
• pick up
• reach
• receive
• score
• secure

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.