defeat
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
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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.
Related Words
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
- defeater noun
- nondefeat noun
- predefeat noun
- redefeat verb
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”
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.
Another abject defeat could end Liverpool's hopes of progressing even before the second leg, at which point the season would become solely about trying to scrape back into the Champions League next season.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
The Champions Cup had provided Harlequins with some bright spots in a troubled campaign so this home defeat by another out-of-form team will be a bitter blow.
From BBC • Apr. 4, 2026
Thunder's 139 points were the most conceded by the Lakers this season and the 43-point defeat was the team's heaviest since a 44-point loss to Philadelphia in November 2023.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
The Lakers have only been beaten by a greater margin on six occasions, with this 43-point loss just six points short of their worst margin of defeat against the Dallas Mavericks in 2017.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
He needed a way to defeat that fear.
From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray
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.
