Words / B2

KONGK-uh/ˈkɒŋkə/

To conquer is to take control of a place or people by force, or to overcome a difficulty: conquer a territory; conquer a fear. Defeat is a close twin; invade is to enter by force. Map who conquered the territory, then name the treaty. Mix-up: concur; conquest (next). Do not write conquer for winning a raffle.

Meaning

To take control of a place or people by force, or to overcome a difficulty.

Examples

• “Map who conquered the territory, then name the treaty, the history paper said.”
• “She conquered stage fright in the oral, which is the overcome-a-difficulty sense.”

Good to know

conquer + place / people / fear. Noun: conquest. Close: defeat. Trap: concur. History, PE, and orals. Take by force, or overcome a difficulty — specify.

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