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defeat

[ dih-feet ]
/ dɪˈfit /
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See synonyms for: defeat / defeated / defeating / defeats on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
noun
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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”

synonym study for defeat

1. 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 WORDS FROM defeat

de·feat·er, nounnon·de·feat, nounpre·de·feat, noun, verbre·de·feat, verb, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use defeat in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for defeat

defeat
/ (dɪˈfiːt) /

verb (tr)
to overcome in a contest or competition; win a victory over
to thwart or frustratethis accident has defeated all his hopes of winning
law to render null and void; annul
noun

Derived forms of defeat

defeater, noun

Word Origin for defeat

C14: from Old French desfait, from desfaire to undo, ruin, from des- dis- 1 + faire to do, from Latin facere
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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