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Grammar fix

win over

persuade someone to support you or your ideas

to gradually persuade someone to support you, your opinion, or your side, especially when they were unsure or opposed at first.

phrasal verbC1common

Hear it in context

Notice where the phrase sounds natural.

  • It took several meetings to win over the board members to our proposal.communication
  • In my opinion, a good leader needs to be able to win over people who initially disagree, as this skill is essential for building consensus and moving projects forward.IELTS speaking

Fix the pattern

Pattern: win someone over (to something)

WrongShe won over them with her speech.

RightShe won them over with her speech.

With a pronoun, the object goes in the middle: 'win them over'.

Patternwin someone over (to something)

Use it right

Choose the version that sounds natural in speech.

Stiff She gradually persuaded the sceptical board to support her.

Natural She gradually won the board over.

'Win over' is the natural verb for bringing doubters round; 'persuaded the sceptical board' is heavier.

Build natural chunks

Words that usually travel with it.

  • win over + doubters
    the crowdvotersscepticsthem

Don't confuse it

Unlike the basic verb 'win', which means to succeed or get a prize, 'win over' focuses on changing someone's opinion or gaining their support, often through effort or charm.

Try it in Daily Speak →