Prevaleció

Prevaleció is the third-person singular form of the Spanish verb prevalecer in the pretérito indefinido (simple past). It translates to “he prevailed,” “she prevailed,” or “it prevailed” in English. The form is used to describe a completed past action in which one side, factor, idea, or outcome came to dominate over others.

Etymology and usage notes: prevalecer comes from Latin praevalēre, literally “to be stronger before” or “to be stronger than others.” In Spanish, prevaleció is employed to express victory, dominance, or the emergence of a prevailing view, policy, or trend. It is common in historical narratives, political analyses, sports reporting, and discussions of debates or competitions. It typically implies overcoming opposition rather than mere prevalence, emphasizing a decisive outcome.

Conjugation and related forms: prevalecer is a regular verb in the pretérito indefinido with the endings: yo prevalecí, tú prevaleciste, él/ella/usted prevaleció, nosotros prevalecimos, vosotros prevalecisteis, ellos/ellas/ustedes prevalecieron. Related terms include prevalencia (prevalence) and prevalecer (to prevail).

Examples: “La coalición prevaleció en las elecciones.” “La idea central prevaleció sobre las propuestas contrarias.” These illustrate the sense of one option or force gaining dominance in a past event.

See also: prevalencia, prevalecer.