defeated
Americanadjective
-
relating to or being the loser in a contest, election, battle, etc.; overcome or vanquished.
For several days in succession, fragments of the defeated army straggled through the town.
-
frustrated, foiled, or thwarted, as plans, dreams, etc..
He could not shake off a feeling of acute disappointment, of defeated hopes.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of defeated
First recorded in 1575–85; defeat ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; defeat ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb sense
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.
Even when individual dancers showed that there was some way to go for their total mastery, none were defeated by Ashton’s demanding dance-making as they pressed eagerly into its intricacies of step and posture.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 2, 2026
The state legislator defeated a well-known opponent, Dallas Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, in the Democratic primary.
From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026
“Iran’s entire ballistic missile production capacity, every company that builds every component of those missiles, has been functionally defeated, destroyed,” he said at a Pentagon press briefing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2026
The 45-year-old Brazilian senator bolted his country two days after being defeated by incumbent Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in a presidential election on Sunday.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
“Whatever. Let’s just go,” Seven said, feeling defeated.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
