Meanings
present singular third person snatches victory from the jaws of defeat · participle present snatching victory from the jaws of defeat · participle past snatched victory from the jaws of defeat · past snatched victory from the jaws of defeat
Origin
The first recorded use of the phrase discovered to date is an article criticizing Representative James Seddon of Virginia for claiming that a regiment in the Mexican–American War had "snatched victory from the jaws of defeat."
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch de overwinning voor de poorten van de hel wegslepen
- de overwinning voor de poorten van de hel wegslepensuddenly win a contest when it appears that loss is a foregone conclusion, to succeed in an endeavor through reversal of fortune, skill, effort, or good judgment
Vietnamese dành lấy thắng lợi từ thế thất bại
- dành lấy thắng lợi từ thế thất bạisuddenly win a contest when it appears that loss is a foregone conclusion, to succeed in an endeavor through reversal of fortune, skill, effort, or good judgment
Cite this entry
snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/snatch%20victory%20from%20the%20jaws%20of%20defeat
“snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/snatch%20victory%20from%20the%20jaws%20of%20defeat. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “snatch victory from the jaws of defeat,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/snatch%20victory%20from%20the%20jaws%20of%20defeat.
Source: snatch victory from the jaws of defeat on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.