conquerors

Meanings

1. 1nounplural

   People who take control of a country or group by force.

   Grammar: Plural of conqueror; use a plural verb: The conquerors were ruthless.

   Patterns

   • the conquerors of a place
   • foreign conquerors

   The conquerors divided the defeated kingdom among themselves.

   Statues of the conquerors still stand in the main square.

   The local people resisted the conquerors for many years.

2. 2nounpluralfigurative

   People who succeed in overcoming a difficult problem or challenge.

   Grammar: Used figuratively; often followed by 'of' plus the thing overcome.

   Patterns

   • conquerors of something
   • the conquerors of disease

   The scientists were hailed as conquerors of a terrible disease.

   She called the climbers conquerors of the impossible.

Word forms

Common combinations

foreign conquerors

Foreign conquerors brought their own language and laws.

the conquerors of

He wrote a book about the conquerors of the ancient world.

ruthless conquerors

The ruthless conquerors spared no city.

defeat the conquerors

The rebels finally defeated the conquerors.

Synonyms and how they differ

victors

Victors win a battle or contest; conquerors take lasting control of territory or peoples.

invaders

Invaders enter a place by force, but they may not stay or rule; conquerors usually do.

vanquishers

Vanquishers is literary and means those who defeat someone completely in battle.

Opposites

Word family

conquer verb

To take control by force.

conquest noun

The act of conquering.

conquering adjective

Having the effect of conquering; victorious.

Commonly confused: conquerors or conquerer?

Practice

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