To conquer means to defeat and take control of something through effort, strength, or skill. When an army conquers a territory, it wins the battle and takes charge of that land. Alexander the Great conquered a vast empire stretching from Greece to India. The Spanish conquistadors conquered the Aztec Empire in the 1500s.

But conquest extends beyond military victory to include overcoming challenges, fears, or difficulties in your own life. A student who finally masters long division has conquered a tough math concept. A rock climber who reaches a difficult summit has conquered the mountain. When you overcome stage fright to give a great presentation, you've conquered your fear.

A conqueror is someone who conquers, and a conquest is either the act of conquering or the thing that's been conquered. William the Conqueror earned his name by conquering England in 1066.

Notice that conquering requires real effort and struggle. You don't conquer easy things. You conquer obstacles that test your abilities, opponents who challenge you, or goals that seem nearly impossible. The satisfaction of conquering something difficult comes from knowing you pushed through when you could've given up.