WINNER Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

winner

noun

ˈwi-nər

Definition of winner

as in success

a person or thing that is successful the movie was panned by the critics but has been a winner at the box office

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in victor

one that defeats an enemy or opponent the winner of any given war is usually the one who gets to write the history of that war

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in champion

the person who comes in first in a competition the other finalists graciously congratulated the winner

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

loser

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of winner The nominees and winners at the Creative Arts Emmys aren’t lesser talents working on lesser shows. — Joe Reid, Vulture, 29 Aug. 2026 News of the project broke online last month via Page Six who reported that Oscar winner Javier Bardem was in talks. — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026 After Keira Barry’s free kick attempt hit off the post, Girelli broke the deadlock in the 89th minute, finishing the rebound for the winner. — Phuoc Nguyen, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2026 The playoffs culminate with next week’s Tour Championship in Atlanta -- where the winner of that tournament among a surviving field of 30 golfers will be crowned FedEx Cup champ. — Greg Cote august 23, Miami Herald, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for winner

Recent Examples of Synonyms for winner

Noun

Crowds boomed along with that success, increasing the exposure and scrutiny.

— Katie Whyatt, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Somers Superintendent Sam Galloway, whose district has surpassed its pre-COVID test scores, attributed the success in part to the district limiting screen time for students.

— Theo Peck-Suzuki, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of success

Noun

One trophy went to the points leader and another went to the Tour Championship victor.

— Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
The co-main event is a crucial lightweight title eliminator, pitting Arman Tsarukyan against Mauricio Ruffy in a five-round contest, with the victor expected to challenge champion Justin Gaethje next.

— Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of victor

Noun

The 24-time Grand Slam champion appeared to suffer a cramp in his left foot, threw up, and took a medical time-out to have his back massaged between the fourth and fifth sets before losing to Argentine player Mariano Navone.

— Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
Born without hands or feet, Volpentest became one of the most successful Paralympic sprinters in history — a four-time Paralympic gold medalist and five-time world champion sprinter.

— Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of champion

Noun

Morales’ first big-league hit was also his first big-league homer.

— Spencer Nusbaum, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Sundays are reserved for manti—delicate lamb dumplings served with garlicky yoghurt and a hint of sumac—a dish that is always a hit with a loyal crowd of regulars.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of hit

Noun

The plot of the original YouTube series began to follow the Skibidi Toilets, a conqueror race armed with futuristic weaponry and an intention to colonize the galaxy.

— Kyle MacNeill, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2026
One stronghold after another has fallen to the ruthless conqueror Nobunaga Oda—often celebrated as the first great unifier of Japan but here cast as a largely offscreen mega-villain.

— Justin Chang, New Yorker, 30 July 2026

Definition of conqueror

Noun

Perhaps most recently, Prada’s Paradigme men’s fragrance, which launched in August 2025 and was developed in partnership with Givaudan, has approached modern blockbuster status, surpassing $57 million in sales during the first half of 2026.

— Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 1 Sep. 2026
The standalone movie, directed by Patty Jenkins, was a blockbuster hit with $824 million at the worldwide box office.

— Zack Sharf, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of blockbuster

Noun

Johnson, a finalist for the 2024 Chicago Tribune Silver Football at Iowa, was a third-round pick last year.

— Steve Megargee, Chicago Tribune, 30 Aug. 2026
In the course of his career, Rock has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts, and was named a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award and the John Dos Passos Prize.

— Zachary Fletcher, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of finalist

Browse Nearby Words

winks (out)

winner

winners

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Winner.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/winner. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of winner

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

apiary

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes