he won the election

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he won the election" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that a person has successfully achieved victory in an electoral process. Example: "After a long and hard-fought campaign, he won the election and will take office next month."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

He won the election and laid out an ambitious platform to the legislature, which acted on only part of it.

Wikipedia

He won the election.

The New York Times

He won the election easily.

Encyclopedia Britannica

I mean, he won the election, right?

The Washington Post

He thinks he won the election already.

The New York Times

He won the election, but only just.

The Guardian

In November 2016, he won the election.

The New Yorker

On Thursday night, he won the election.

The New Yorker

He won the election and went to Washington in 1983.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

He was cock-a-hoop when he won [the election] and terribly arrogant.

Independent

He did not wait until he won the election to vet his favored picks.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about elections, ensure you specify the office or position being contested for clarity. For instance, instead of just saying "he won the election", specify "he won the election for mayor".

Common error

Don't assume your audience knows which election you're referring to. Always provide context, especially if you're discussing multiple elections or referring to a past election.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he won the election" primarily functions as a declarative statement. It asserts a fact about a past event, specifically the victory of a person in an election. As shown by Ludwig, this is a commonly accepted way to describe the result of an election.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Wiki

13%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Science

9%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "he won the election" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to declare someone's victory in an election. Ludwig's analysis shows its wide applicability across various contexts, especially in news media and encyclopedic entries. While simple, it effectively communicates a definitive result. For greater precision, specify the election type (e.g., "he won the presidential election").

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he was victorious in the election

Replaces "won" with a more formal synonym, "victorious", emphasizing the success.

he triumphed in the election

Uses "triumphed" to highlight the celebratory nature of the victory.

he secured the election

Emphasizes the act of ensuring or guaranteeing the win.

he emerged as the winner of the election

Focuses on the outcome of the election process.

he clinched the election

Highlights the decisive nature of the victory.

he prevailed in the election

Uses "prevailed" to suggest overcoming challenges to win.

the election resulted in his victory

Shifts the focus to the election's outcome.

he was elected

A shorter, more direct way of stating the victory.

he gained electoral success

Rephrases the victory in terms of achieving success in the election.

he carried the election

Suggests a strong performance that led to the victory.

FAQs

What's a more formal way to say "he won the election"?

You could say "he was victorious in the election" or "he secured the election" for a more formal tone.

What can I say instead of "he won the election" to emphasize the challenges he overcame?

Consider using "he prevailed in the election", which suggests he overcame obstacles to achieve victory.

Is it okay to just say "he was elected" instead of "he won the election"?

Yes, "he was elected" is a shorter and perfectly acceptable alternative, especially if the context makes it clear which election you're referring to.

How can I rephrase "he won the election" to focus on the election's result?

You can say "the election resulted in his victory" to shift the emphasis to the outcome itself.