defeat
Americanverb (used with object)
-
defeats,
present (3rd person singular)
-
defeated,
past participle, past
-
defeating
present participle
noun
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defeats
plural
-
the act of overcoming in a contest.
an overwhelming defeat of all opposition.
-
an instance of defeat; setback.
He considered his defeat a personal affront.
-
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:
United fans sang Carrick's name as he applauded the crowd after the Bournemouth defeat during what Neville called "effectively a farewell lap".
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
But for someone like Schoenbrun, defeat defines their future.
From Salon ● Oct. 29, 2026
Edge rusher Myles Garrett, the reigning NFL defensive player of the year, has not played since undergoing knee surgery after the season-opening defeat by the 49ers in Australia.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
While at Juventus, Muharemovic made his senior Bosnia-Herzegovina debut at the age of 21 in a 3-0 friendly defeat by England at St James' Park shortly before Euro 2024.
From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026
When the decisive vote came in April, Madison attributed his defeat to “the exertions and influence of Aristocracy, Anglicism, and mercantilism” led by “the Banks, the British Merchts., the insurance Comps.”
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
In a matter of days, they have gone through two extreme situations, both ending in crushing defeats.
From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026
Home defeats by Burton, Oxford and Peterborough were a world away from the Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid in 2017.
From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026
The Lancers’ only defeats are to Trinity League rivals — three to JSerra and the other to Mater Dei.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2026
This time, there was no such drama for the champion, who was dominant from the opening bell as he extended his professional record to 24 wins - 23 by knockout - and three defeats.
From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026
He must examine the reasons for their victories and for their defeats, in order to avoid the latter and to imitate the former.
From "The Prince" by Niccolò Machiavelli
In 2000, when Mexico held its first free and fair presidential election in nearly a century, it was the folksy Vicente Fox of the conservative National Action Party, not Cárdenas, who defeated the PRI.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
Well, in 1990, winless Roosevelt defeated unbeaten Garfield 7-0 in perhaps the biggest upset in the series.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026
Brazil's defeated presidential candidate Flávio Bolsonaro has landed in the US after ongoing uncertainty about his whereabouts.
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
Even if he is defeated on Tuesday, Mr. Netanyahu could decide to launch one last strike that he may believe his successor would hesitate to execute.
From Salon ● Oct. 27, 2026
Fischer had not only retained his title as United States Champion, he’d accomplished something unprecedented: For the third year in a row, he’d marched to the title without being defeated in any of the pairings.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Open after defeating fellow American Frances Tiafoe in a five-set semifinal.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 26, 2026
“As attorney general, I’ve sued some of the largest companies in the world … for taking advantage of our kids by exposing them to dangerous, addictive material,” Paxton said after defeating Cornyn in May.
From Salon ● Oct. 17, 2026
Argentina warmed up for the fixture against Benin by defeating fellow west African side Burkina Faso 7-0.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Conner’s Stars & Stripes wound up prevailing in the defender series, defeating Mighty Mary and Young America to represent the United States.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
The French counterattacked, defeating him at a hastily built stockade near Great Meadows, Pennsylvania.
From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen
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