Sample Sentences for

prevail

grouped by contextual meaning

(editor-reviewed)

The defending champions prevailed again.

She paused, and then she said, "May the right prevail."  (source) Madeleine L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time, 1962

They encouraged my hunger to prevail.  (source) Dave Pelzer, A Child Called It, 1995

The fake peace that prevailed on Sundays was made more irritating by Aunt Alexandra's presence.  (source) Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960

There is a saying in the Quran, "The falsehood has to go and the truth will prevail."  (source) Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala, 2013

At length one mention'd me, with the observation that I was merely an honest man, and of no sect at all, which prevail'd with them to chuse me.†  (source) Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, 1791

Marine discipline and the sacrificial bonding of ardent young men was prevailing over concrete, steel, and thick volcanic rock.  (source) James Bradley, Flags of Our Fathers, 2000

Lord Denby prevails, and he and Simon return to the ball.  (source) Libba Bray, Sweet Far Thing, 2007

14:20 Thou prevailest for ever against him, and he passeth: thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.†  (source) The Bible, Job, 1611

They come from a long line of warriors who have prevailed in the face of many armies for centuries.  (source) Eric Blehm, Fearless, 2012

He'd also demonstrated a remarkable ability to prevail over adversity.  (source) Jon Krakauer, Into Thin Air, 1997

This his lordship did not chuse to do, though I once thought I had nearly prevail'd with him to do it; but finally he rather chose to urge the compliance of the Assembly; and he entreated me to use my endeavours with them for that purpose, declaring that he would spare none of the king's troops for the defense of our frontiers, and that, if we did not continue to provide for that defense ourselves, they must remain expos'd to the enemy.†  (source) Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, 1791

The wind fell away entirely during the evening, and at midnight there was a dead calm, a sultry heat, and that prevailing intensity which, on the approach of thunder, affects persons of a sensitive nature.  (source) Bram Stoker, Dracula, 1897

She prevailed upon him to make the visit.

May I prevail upon your patience as I describe one more complication.

I beg you, woman, prevail upon your husband to confess.  (source) Arthur Miller, The Crucible, 1953

Walter was friendly with a family that lived nearby, and we prevailed upon them to take us in for the night.  (source) Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, 1994

Sometimes I could not prevail on myself to enter my laboratory for several days, and at other times I toiled day and night in order to complete my work.  (source) Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1831

His last journey to London had been undertaken with no other view than that of introducing her brother in Hill Street, and prevailing on the Admiral to exert whatever interest he might have for getting him on.  (source) Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814

She prevailed upon me to see her wisdom.  (source) Libba Bray, Sweet Far Thing, 2007

Dolly's exhortation, which was an unusually long effort of speech for her, was uttered in the soothing persuasive tone with which she would have tried to prevail on a sick man to take his medicine, or a basin of gruel for which he had no appetite.  (source) George Eliot, Silas Marner, 1861

And now, Fanny, having performed one part of my commission, and shewn you everything placed on a basis the most assured and satisfactory, I may execute the remainder by prevailing on you to accompany me downstairs, where, though I cannot but presume on having been no unacceptable companion myself, I must submit to your finding one still better worth listening to.  (source) Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814

She was not to be prevailed on to leave Mr. Crawford.  (source) Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814

...when Justine was twelve years of age, prevailed on her mother to allow her to live at our house.  (source) Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1831

It may not be easy for this court to understand, but it is a fact that for a long time the people had been talking of violence—of the day when they would fight the white man and win back their country, and we, the leaders of the ANC, had nevertheless always prevailed upon them to avoid violence and to use peaceful methods.  (source) Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, 1994

No reason less urgent than this could have prevailed on Nancy to give Godfrey this opportunity of sitting apart with her.  (source) George Eliot, Silas Marner, 1861

At that time, the prevailing belief was that trans fats were healthier than butter.

Instead of using prevailing interest rate indexes, they...

Yesterday, the prevailing wisdom changed.

Because of this, and also because of prevailing currents, Isla Nublar lies in a foggy area.  (source) Michael Crichton, Jurassic Park, 1993

The remarkable thing, given the decades of thievery and ruination of the Pimas, is the legacy of dignity and forbearance that prevails amid their exploited culture.  (source) James Bradley, Flags of Our Fathers, 2000

The punishment against us was never enunciated as an official policy, but it was a renewal of the harsh atmosphere that prevailed upon our arrival on the island.  (source) Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom, 1994

The republican institutions of our country have produced simpler and happier manners than those which prevail in the great monarchies that surround it.  (source) Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, 1831

We pray you, throw to earth This unprevailing woe; and think of us As of a father: for let the world take note You are the most immediate to our throne; And with no less nobility of love Than that which dearest father bears his son Do I impart toward you.†  (source) William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, 1601

The prevailing Alaska wisdom held that McCandless was simply one more dreamy half-cocked greenhorn who went into the country expecting to find answers to all his problems and instead found only mosquitoes and a lonely death.  (source) Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild, 1996

This custom prevails throughout this portion of the South today.  (source) Booker T. Washington, Up From Slavery: An Autobiography, 1901

I imagined myself like some tiny sailboat, aimlessly tacking in whatever wind prevailed at the moment.  (source) Jay Allison, et al., This I Believe, 2007

In fact, small landowners prevail in the New York senate and assembly.  (source) James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, & John Jay, The Federalist Papers -- Modern English Edition 2, 2008

The prevailing color of life in America is a dull, dark green called olive drab.  (source) John Knowles, A Separate Peace, 1959

Though rare, the ancient practice still prevails today.

Though segregation and discrimination still prevail and still work a hardship, great strides have been made—strides that must give hope to every observer of the South.  (source) John Howard Griffin, Black Like Me, 1961

As these were the best of her hopes, they could not always prevail; and in the course of a long morning, spent principally with her two aunts, she was often under the influence of much less sanguine views.  (source) Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814

The trial by jury prevails only in the courts of common law and there are exceptions.  (source) James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, & John Jay, The Federalist Papers -- Modern English Edition 2, 2008

The tankards are on the side-table still, but the bossed silver is undimmed by handling, and there are no dregs to send forth unpleasant suggestions: the only prevailing scent is of the lavender and rose-leaves that fill the vases of Derbyshire spar.  (source) George Eliot, Silas Marner, 1861

The remaining three, Mrs. Rushworth, Mrs. Norris, and Julia, were still far behind; for Julia, whose happy star no longer prevailed, was obliged to keep by the side of Mrs. Rushworth, and restrain her impatient feet to that lady's slow pace, while her aunt, having fallen in with the housekeeper, who was come out to feed the pheasants, was lingering behind in gossip with her.  (source) Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814

I had thought you peculiarly free from wilfulness of temper, self-conceit, and every tendency to that independence of spirit which prevails so much in modern days, even in young women, and which in young women is offensive and disgusting beyond all common offence.  (source) Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814

…she found, while they were at table, such a happy flow of conversation prevailing, in which she was not required to take any part—  (source) Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814

Half an hour followed that would have been at least languid under any other circumstances, but Fanny's happiness still prevailed.  (source) Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814

Down to the keels, and upward to the sails, The fire descends, or mounts, but still prevails; Nor buckets pour'd, nor strength of human hand, Can the victorious element withstand.  (source) Virgil, The Aeneid, -19 B.C.

Miss Crawford saw much of Sir Thomas's thoughts as he stood, and having, in spite of all his wrongs towards her, a general prevailing desire of recommending herself to him, took an opportunity of stepping aside to say something agreeable of Fanny.  (source) Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814