history is written by the victors

proverb

History is often told according to the interpretation and biases of prevailing historical actors, often those who won in geopolitical disputes or otherwise became dominant forces in society.

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Meanings

proverb

alternative history is written by the winners

  1. History is often told according to the interpretation and biases of prevailing historical actors, often those who won in geopolitical disputes or otherwise became dominant forces in society.

Translations

Arabic التاريخ يكتبه المنتصرون
  • التاريخ يكتبه المنتصرونHistory is often subjectively told according to the biases of the victors
German die Geschichte wird von den Siegern geschrieben
  • die Geschichte wird von den Siegern geschriebenHistory is often subjectively told according to the biases of the victors
Vietnamese lịch sử được viết bởi những người chiến thắng
  • lịch sử được viết bởi những người chiến thắngHistory is often subjectively told according to the biases of the victors
Cite this entry
APA

history is written by the victors. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/history%20is%20written%20by%20the%20victors

MLA

“history is written by the victors.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/history%20is%20written%20by%20the%20victors. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “history is written by the victors,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/history%20is%20written%20by%20the%20victors.

Source: history is written by the victors on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.