Cool MateHe's going to make it vs Prevail
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
He's going to make it
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Prevail
Top 3,000 (common)C1verb
Most common: Prevail
| He's going to make it | Prevail | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //hiːz ˈgəʊɪŋ tə meɪk ɪt//🇺🇸 //hiz ˈɡoʊɪŋ tə meɪk ɪt// | 🇬🇧 /["/prɪˈveɪl/","/prɪˈveɪlz/","/prɪˈveɪld/","/prɪˈveɪlɪŋ/"]/🇺🇸 /["/prɪˈveɪl/","/prɪˈveɪlz/","/prɪˈveɪld/","/prɪˈveɪlɪŋ/"]/ |
| Meaning | He will succeed or achieve something. | to win or succeed, especially after a struggle |
| Example | Despite the challenges, I believe he's going to make it. | We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 5,000 (fairly common) | Top 3,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | C1 |
| Part of speech | verb | |
| Collocations | going to make it, make it happen, make it through, make it work, make it in life | always, usually, eventually, be likely to, must, should, against, over, always, usually, eventually, be likely to, must, should, against, over |
| Antonyms | - | fail, lose, succumb |
| Common mistakes | Confusing with 'He's going to do it', which is less certain., Using 'going to' with indefinite subjects when it's specific., Incorrectly implying failure instead of success. | Confused with 'prevalent', which means common or widespread., Using 'prevail' without an object when a comparison is implied (e.g., 'prevail over')., Mistakenly using 'prevail' in passive voice; it should be active. |
| Usage notes | Used to express confidence in someone's future success. Informal settings are common; avoid in overly formal contexts. | Use 'prevail' in contexts suggesting overcoming difficulties or winning in competition. It is more common in formal writing or speeches than in everyday conversation. |
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Frequently asked questions: He's going to make it vs Prevail
What's the difference between He's going to make it and Prevail?
He's going to make it: He will succeed or achieve something. Prevail: to win or succeed, especially after a struggle
Which is more common: He's going to make it and Prevail?
Prevail is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
He's going to make it: Despite the challenges, I believe he's going to make it. Prevail: We were horrified at the conditions prevailing in local prisons.
Can I use He's going to make it and Prevail interchangeably?
Not always. He's going to make it and Prevail are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.