What does vincible mean?
Vincible means capable of being conquered, overcome, or defeated. It describes a person, force, argument, or position that can be overcome by sufficient skill, determination, or power. The adjective is especially effective when two contrasting ideas are present: a vincible opponent is someone who may ultimately be defeated, just as an invincible one cannot be overcome. The word is relatively formal and literary rather than everyday, but it is useful in discussion, commentary, and historical writing because it conveys a clear expectation of possible defeat without requiring the sentence to specify who will prevail. Its close relationship with invincible also makes it memorable: both words derive from the Latin verb vincere, meaning “to conquer,” but vincible describes something that can yield to conquest, while invincible describes something that cannot.
adjectiveCapable of being conquered, overcome, or defeated; conquerable.
- Capable of being conquered, overcome, or defeated.
"Even the greatest champion must recognize that no opponent is entirely vincible."
"The invaders believed that the divided army remained vincible."
"Her argument exposed a weakness in what had seemed a vincible position."
Vincible and invincible share the same Latin root: one can be overcome, while the other cannot.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does vincible come from?
Vincible entered English in the early 17th century from the Latin adjective vincibilis, meaning “conquerable” or “yielding to conquest.” The Latin word was formed from vincere, “to conquer,” the same root found in English cognates such as conquer, victory, vanquish, convince, and evince. Over time, vincible came to be used figuratively for opponents, arguments, positions, and other things that could be overcome.
Related word forms
How vincible is actually used
Relatively formal and literary in tone. The word is often used to characterize an opponent, force, or position that can be overcome, commonly in deliberate contrast with invincible.
Easily confused with vincible
Vincible means capable of being defeated, whereas invincible means impossible to conquer or overcome.