verb

defeat

dih-FEET

verb

To beat someone in a fight, contest, or competition.

"The underdogs defeated the reigning champions."

"Her argument defeated every objection raised."

To prevent something from succeeding or being achieved.

"Constant delays defeated the project's original purpose."

noun

An instance of losing, or of being overcome.

"The team suffered a heavy defeat in the final."

How to Use Defeat

Learner’s notes

Common pairings

crushing defeat admit defeat defeat the purpose

Word Forms

defeated past tense, defeated plural, defeat plural, defeats plural, defeats singular, defeat singular, defeated singular, defeatest singular, defeatedst singular, defeateth singular

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The underdogs _____ the reigning champions.

Etymology

From Middle English defeten, ultimately tied to a root meaning "undone" or "disfigured" — the sense of being ruined or destroyed came before the modern sporting sense.

Synonyms

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vanquish overcome beat bring down convince chew up eat someone for breakfast eat someone's lunch flog kick ass humble malavogue

Antonyms

bite the dust capitulate eat someone's dust forfeit give up lose strike one's flag surrender

Related Words

abandon abandonment abduction abstain die offset accumulate achieve

Rhymes for defeat

eat meat feat beat peat heat seat teat neat sweat wheat great

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vanquish overcome beat bring down convince chew up eat someone for breakfast eat someone's lunch flog kick ass humble malavogue