prevail

in a sentence

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The defending champions prevailed again.

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

Big Ma didn't answer immediately; she was occupied in a test of wills with Jack. When hers had prevailed and Jack had settled into a moderate trot, she replied moodily...  (source) Mildred D. Taylor, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, 1976

At last Zeus' strength prevailed.  (source) Madeline Miller, Circe, 2018

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

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, Old Testament, 1611

1:13 From above hath he sent fire into my bones, and it prevaileth against them: he hath spread a net for my feet, he hath turned me back: he hath made me desolate and faint all the day.†  (source) The Bible, Old Testament, 1611

Eventually, the spirit of reconciliation prevailed.  (source) Laura Hillenbrand, Unbroken, 2010

So once again, just as I do every Day, I begin to read the notebook aloud, so that she can hear it, in the hope that the miracle that has come to dominate my life will once again prevail.  (source) Nicholas Sparks, The Notebook, 1996

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

...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 was after the early supper-time at the Red House, and the entertainment was in that stage when bashfulness itself had passed into easy jollity, when gentlemen, conscious of unusual accomplishments, could at length be prevailed on to dance a hornpipe, and when the Squire preferred talking loudly, scattering snuff, and patting his visitors' backs, to sitting longer at the whist-table—a choice exasperating to uncle Kimble, who, being always volatile in sober business hours, became…  (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

When you add to these activities the constant comings and goings of the tenants who live in the upstairs apartments—they must all walk through Mr. Odom's entrance hall to reach the stairway—you have an idea of the chaotic atmosphere that prevails.  (source) John Berendt, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, 1994

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

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

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

...suffering the more from that involuntary forbearance which his character and manner commanded, and from not daring to relieve herself by a single attempt at throwing ridicule on his cause. ... It was time to have done with cards, if sermons prevailed; and she was glad to find it necessary to come to a conclusion, and be able to refresh her spirits by a change of place and neighbour.  (source) Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, 1814

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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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.

…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

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