prevail on

Idioms and Phrases

Successfully persuade or influence, as in They prevailed on me to speak at their annual luncheon . This term uses prevail in the sense of “exert superior force.” It replaced prevail with in the mid-1600s.

Example Sentences

There are those in Ukraine who wonder whether Trump’s election could shake up a dynamic that has grown increasingly frustrating for Ukraine and its supporters: the provision of just enough U.S. military assistance to keep Ukraine from losing the war, but not enough to give it a real chance to prevail on the battlefield.

From Los Angeles Times

Wanek advised — the aluminum foundry worker said he predicted the Packers would win by 20 but was uncertain who is going to prevail on Tuesday.

From Los Angeles Times

With turnout among Black voters, who make up a third of Georgia’s population and form the backbone of the state’s Democratic Party, making up just 26% of the early vote, some Republicans are confident Trump will prevail on election day.

From Los Angeles Times

Whether the majority thought Virginia should prevail on the merits, on Purcell, or both, it has given the green light to eleventh-hour purges.

From Slate

District Judge Margaret Garnett appeared to agree, issuing a temporary injunction that said Fubo was likely to prevail on claims that the partnership would “substantially lessen competition and restrain trade.”

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• prevail upon