win
gb/wˈɪn/ us/wˈɪn/
A2
English
~ 500
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Achieve victory in competition
To be first or best in a game, race, or competition.
Usage pattern:
to win [a game/competition/prize]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'win' with 'beat'. You 'win a game' but you 'beat an opponent'.
Synonyms
triumph (More formal and dramatic than 'win', often used for major victories.)
Antonyms
lose (Means to be defeated or not succeed in a competition.)
Collocations
win a game
|win a race
|win a prize
|win a battle
|win the championship
Themes
sports
|daily life
|achievement
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She hopes to win the tennis tournament this year.
- Our team worked hard to win the championship.
- He won the chess match after a long game.
- They won the election by a narrow margin.
- The horse won the race easily.
Learner examples
- I want to win the game.
- We can win the race if we run fast.
- He will win the prize for best photo.
- They win every match they play.
Verb
A2
action
2
Receive something as a reward or prize
To get something good because you are lucky or work for it.
Usage pattern:
to win [money/a prize/an award]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use 'get' instead of 'win' when talking about prizes or awards. 'Win' emphasizes achievement or luck.
Synonyms
earn (Implies work rather than luck; 'win' can involve luck.)
Antonyms
forfeit (Means to lose or give up something, often by rule or failure.)
Collocations
win a prize
|win an award
|win money
|win recognition
Themes
daily life
|luck
|achievement
|finance
|sports
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- He won $500 in the lottery.
- She won an award for her novel.
- They won free tickets to the concert.
- You could win a holiday to Hawaii.
- He won recognition for his volunteer work.
Learner examples
- I want to win a prize.
- She will win an award for her art.
- He can win money in the game.
- We hope to win tickets to the show.
Verb
B1
action
3
Gain someone's support or favor
To make someone like you or agree with you.
Usage pattern:
to win [someone's trust/support/heart]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'get' instead of 'win'; 'get trust' is less natural than 'win trust'.
Synonyms
gain (More general; 'win' suggests effort and success in influencing someone.)
Antonyms
alienate (Means to cause someone to stop supporting or liking you.)
Collocations
win support
|win trust
|win someone's heart
Themes
relationships
|persuasion
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The politician worked hard to win public support.
- She managed to win his trust over time.
- He tried to win her heart with flowers and letters.
- Their honesty won them many friends.
Learner examples
- I want to win her trust.
- He won many friends at school.
- They try to win support for the plan.
Noun
A2
event
4
Victory in competition
A time when someone is first or best in a game or contest.
Synonyms
victory ('Victory' is more formal and can apply outside competitions.)
Antonyms
loss (Means being defeated in a competition.)
Collocations
big win
|important win
|home win
Themes
sports
|achievement
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The team celebrated their big win.
- That was an important win for the player.
- They secured a home win against their rivals.
Learner examples
- We had a big win yesterday.
- The team got another win this season.
- It was their first win this year.
Grammar
Dictionary form
win
IPA
GB/wˈɪn/
US/wˈɪn/
Syllables & stress
win (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (win)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: win
- Plural: wins
Verb
- Base: win
- 3rd Person Singular: wins
- Present Participle: winning
- Past: won
- Past Participle: won
Word family
Forms
wins
noun
winning
verb
won
verb
Core family
winner
noun A2
Related words
winnable
adjective
Negative and opposite forms
winless
adjective
unwinnable
adjective
Highlights
- Irregular present participle: winning Verb
- Irregular past: won Verb
- Irregular past participle: won Verb
Expressions
win back
1/wˈɪn bˈæk/
phrasal verb
Regain something lost before
To get back something you had before, like trust, love, or control.
Examples
- He is trying to win back her love.
- The company hopes to win back customers.
win big
1/wˈɪn bˈɪɡ/
fixed phrase
informal
Have great success or gain much
To have a very large success, especially in games, sports, or business.
Examples
- She won big at the casino last night.
- They won big with their new product launch.
win hands down
1/wˈɪn hˈændz dˈaʊn/
idiom
informal
Achieve victory easily
To win something very easily without much effort.
Examples
- She won hands down in the debate.
- Our team won hands down against them.
win over
1/wˈɪn ˈoʊvɚ/
phrasal verb
Gain someone's support or liking
To make someone start liking you or agreeing with you.
Examples
- The new manager is trying to win over the staff.
- He finally won her over with his kindness.
you can't win them all
1/jˈu kˈænt wˈɪn ðˈɛm ˈɔl/
idiom
informal
Accept that not every attempt will succeed
You cannot always be successful; sometimes you will fail.
Examples
- I lost the game but you can't win them all.
- We didn’t get the contract—oh well, you can’t win them all.