defeat
Americanverb (used with object)
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defeats,
present (3rd person singular)
-
defeated,
past participle, past
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defeating
present participle
noun
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defeats
plural
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the act of overcoming in a contest.
an overwhelming defeat of all opposition.
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an instance of defeat; setback.
He considered his defeat a personal affront.
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an overthrow or overturning; vanquishment.
the defeat of a government.
- Synonyms:
- downfall
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a bringing to naught; frustration.
the defeat of all his hopes and dreams.
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the act or event of being bested; a beating.
Defeat is not something she abides easily.
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Archaic. undoing; destruction; ruin.
verb
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to overcome in a contest or competition; win a victory over
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to thwart or frustrate
this accident has defeated all his hopes of winning
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law to render null and void; annul
noun
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the act of defeating or state of being defeated
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an instance of defeat
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overthrow or destruction
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law an annulment
Usage
What does defeat mean? To defeat someone is to beat them in a competition or contest. As a noun, a defeat is a loss (as in That was the team’s first defeat of the season) and defeat is the state of having lost (as in the agony of defeat). In most cases, the verb beat is a close synonym for defeat, but defeat is more formal (you can beat or defeat someone in a game, but a nation defeats another in war). As a verb, defeat can also mean to thwart or prevent something from happening, but this is less commonly used. Example: The Allies defeated the Axis powers in World War II.
Synonym Usage
Defeat, conquer, overcome, subdue imply gaining a victory or control over an opponent. Defeat suggests beating or frustrating: to defeat an enemy in battle. Conquer implies finally gaining control over, usually after a series of efforts or against systematic resistance: to conquer a country, one's inclinations. Overcome emphasizes surmounting difficulties in prevailing over an antagonist: to overcome opposition, bad habits. Subdue means to conquer so completely that resistance is broken: to subdue a rebellious spirit.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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defeatsimple
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defeatssimple
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have defeatedperfect
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has defeatedperfect
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am defeatingprogressive
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are defeatingprogressive
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is defeatingprogressive
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have been defeatingperfect progressive
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has been defeatingperfect progressive
Past
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defeatedsimple
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had defeatedperfect
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was defeatingprogressive
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were defeatingprogressive
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had been defeatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of defeat
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English defeten (verb), from Anglo-French, Old French desfait, past participle of desfaire “to undo, destroy,” from Medieval Latin disfacere, equivalent to Latin dis- dis- 1 + facere “to do”
Explanation
Defeat is the opposite of victory. When you lose, you suffer defeat. When you win, you defeat your enemy. This is a word that's all about losing. In World War II, America and the Allies defeated the Axis powers: we beat them. In basketball, Michael Jordan usually defeated his opponents. Any loss can be called a defeat. When you're disappointed or think that nothing is going right, you feel defeated. If you're determined to win, you could say, "I won't accept defeat!" Some people are so stubborn that even though they've obviously been defeated, they won't admit defeat.
Vocabulary lists containing defeat
Trumps
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"The Sporting Spirit"
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Talk Like Shakespeare Day, List 4
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
He gathered 2.1% of the vote in a primary defeat.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Speaking after United's 4-2 friendly defeat by AC Milan on Saturday, defender Harry Maguire said he hoped Rashford would stay at Old Trafford because he is a "big asset" and a "huge threat".
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
Another potential scenario, Shpaizman said, is one resembling the storming of the US Capitol by supporters of President Donald Trump on January 6, 2021, as they tried to stop certification of his election defeat.
From Barron's ● Aug. 19, 2026
But in order to keep it, she’ll first have to defeat five siblings.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026
McNamara agreed that more soldiers were needed to prevent defeat, but pointed out that if the United States escalated, so would the enemy.
From "Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War" by Steve Sheinkin
Shortly before that defeat to Liverpool, Guardiola signed a new contract at City , after suffering four consecutive defeats for the first time in his career.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
Clarke ended his seven-year reign earlier this summer after Scotland failed to progress from the World Cup group stage after a victory over Haiti was followed by defeats by Morocco and Brazil.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
About the 10th or 12th time Spidey defeats a gaggle of adversaries by wrapping them up in webs, this series seems entangled in its own predictability.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026
In March, the company suffered defeats in landmark court cases in California and New Mexico that accused it of giving priority to growth over the safety of its underage users.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
They discussed boat design and rigging techniques, debated racing strategy, recounted past victories and defeats, and analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of other crews and coaches.
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
The council vote this week rescinded the bans in discretionary zones, which had been established at the urging of former District 13 Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, who was defeated for reelection by Soto-Martínez in 2022.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
Castillo defeated Clarissa Cervantes in 2024 by nearly 600 votes to represent parts of Riverside County and San Bernardino County.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
During the exercise, called Combined Resolve, Ukrainian drone units easily spotted and defeated U.S. troops and armored vehicles on rotation from Fort Hood in Texas, according to people familiar with the events.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
The Russian will face Ukraine's Elina Svitolina for a place in the semi-finals, after she defeated American eighth seed Amanda Anisimova 6-2 6-4.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
“Right you are, Sunny Brook. Here we go: What king defeated the Revolt of the Earls in 1075 and then, a decade later, ordered the composing of the Domesday, or doomsday, Book?”
From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein
Hichilema himself won office in 2021 on his sixth attempt, defeating arch-rival Edgar Lungu in a landslide.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
One of his proudest moments was defeating a Brazil team on its home soil.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
Already England’s top-rated female player, the prodigy secured the title in a dramatic rapid-chess playoff—adding to a trailblazing run that already included defeating multiple grandmasters.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
After defeating third seed Naomi Osaka, Pegula described the world number 20 as "the future of the tour".
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
“And while you’re busy making your way back up to the surface, I’ll have another shot at defeating Acererak. And this time I’m gonna destroy him. Then I’ll be right behind you, mister.”
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
