history is written by the victors

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

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.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

Lịch sử thường được kể theo cách hiểu và thiên vị của những người chiến thắng

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “history is written by the victors” mean?

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.

Is “history is written by the victors” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.