French Conversation · Level 127
45 words
French word
vaincre
Pronunciation
IPA/vɛ̃kʁ/
Meaning
- verbovercome
Example
Elle doit vaincre sa peur.
She must overcome her fear.
More examples
Il a réussi à vaincre son adversaire en finale.
He managed to defeat his opponent in the final.
Core concept
A person or force breaking through a barrier and gaining the upper hand over fear, illness, or an opponent.
Common phrases
vaincre la peur
overcome fear
vaincre un adversaire
defeat an opponent
vaincre une maladie
overcome a disease
Similar words
surmonter: Overcome difficulties and resolve them.
combattre: Fight against a problem to try to solve it.
maîtriser: Gain control over a skill or emotion.
Definition in French
Surmonter ou dominer une difficulté, une peur, une maladie ou un adversaire en prenant le dessus.
Word origin
French vaincre continues Latin vincere, meaning 'to conquer', through historical Old French forms.
Usage tips
- Vaincre takes a direct object, as in vaincre sa peur, rather than a preposition before the obstacle or opponent.