mindmap root((战胜)) conquer implies a major action, all-inclusive effort, and a more or less permanent result: working to ~ this pernicious disease. defeat implies merely the fact of getting the better of an adversary at a particular time often with no more than a temporary checking or frustrating: ~ed her opponent in the tennis match. vanquish suggests a significant action of a certain dignity usually in the defeat of a person rather than a thing: ~ed his opponent in the championship match. overcome implies an opposing, often fixed, obstacle that can be dealt with only with difficulty or after a hard struggle: ~ a legal obstacle. surmount implies surpassing or exceeding rather than overcoming in a face-to-face confrontation: severe technical problems to be ~ed. subdue implies bringing under control by or as if by overpowering: the police ~d the unruly man. subjugate stresses bringing into and keeping in subjection and often implies a humbled or servile state in what is subjugated : ~d the minority populations. reduce implies surrender and submission usually as the result of overwhelming by or as if by military action: a city ~d by a month-long siege. overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of enemy power: a futile attempt to ~ the leader. rout suggests such complete defeat as to cause flight or complete dispersion and disorganization of the adversary: the guerrillas ~ed the attacking force. beat close to but less formal than defeat, is somewhat neutral though it may imply the finality associated with vanquish: ~ an opponent at cards. lick is likely to imply a complete humbling or reduction to ineffectiveness of the one defeated: ~ a problem.