What does prevail mean?
Word: Prevail
Part of Speech: Verb
Meaning: Prevail means to succeed or win in the end, especially after a long struggle or argument. It can also mean to be common in a place at a certain time.
How do you spell prevail?
Syllables: pre - vail
Tricky part: The opening is pre-. Said fast, it can slide into per, which gives pervail, and privail turns up too.
Watch out for: pervail, privail
Memory tip: A short saying fixes the opening: prepare to prevail.
Prevail in a sentence
Example 1: Common sense will prevail, and the two friends will make up.
Example 2: In the end, the smaller team's patience helped them prevail in the final.
Example 3: Cool, dry weather usually prevails in Bengaluru in December.
Fun Fact
Geography books use the form prevailing for winds: the prevailing wind is the one that blows most often in a place, and over the years it can lean trees in one direction.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
prev____l
a) ay
b) ea
c) ei
d) ai
Show answer
d) ai. The long a sound here is spelt as in rain and train.
Sound Check
Which word rhymes with prevail?
a) revel
b) travel
c) wheel
d) unveil
Show answer
d) unveil. Unveil ends in the same long a sound, whatever its letters look like; the other three do not.
Word Puzzle
Match each word with the word closest in meaning:
1. repair 2. prevail 3. abandon a. triumph b. mend c. give up
a) 1-c, 2-a, 3-b
b) 1-b, 2-c, 3-a
c) 1-a, 2-b, 3-c
d) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c
Show answer
d) 1-b, 2-a, 3-c. To repair is to mend, to prevail is to triumph, and to abandon a plan is to give it up.
Jumble Tumble
Choose the correct sequence of the jumbled letters to form a meaningful word:
lpveari 1234567
a) 4265713
b) 4135762
c) 2643571
d) 5721346
Show answer
c) 2643571. Follow the numbers and the verb for coming out on top appears.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The debate went on for hours, but fairness prevailed. What happened?
a) the fair view won in the end
b) nobody could reach any decision
c) the debate had to stop early
d) both sides walked out angrily
Show answer
a) the fair view won in the end
2. A team that prevails after a tough season has done what?
a) left the league midway through
b) come out on top despite setbacks
c) stopped training for the year
d) played only the easiest matches
Show answer
b) come out on top despite setbacks
