defeat

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To overcome in battle or contest.
2. (transitive) To reduce, to nothing, the strength of.
3. (transitive) To nullify
4. To prevent (something) from being achieved.

Noun

1. (countable, uncountable) The act or instance of being defeated, of being overcome or vanquished; a loss.
2. (countable, uncountable) The act or instance of defeating, of overcoming, vanquishing.
3. (countable, uncountable) Frustration (by prevention of success), stymieing; (law) nullification.
4. (countable, obsolete, uncountable) Destruction, ruin.

Synonyms

overcome

beat

conquer

vanquish

win

failure

subdue

rout

loss

overthrow

overpower

destroy

discomfiture

kill

🔪🩸👤

win over

ruin

overwhelm

master

surpass

frustrate

frustration

knock down

surmount

fight

crush

smash

foil

trounce

strike

refute

vanquishment

licking

whip

bring down

hit

get the better of

triumph

😤

succeed

lick

excel

overturn

beat out

clobber

fail

discomfit

downfall

slaughter

demolish

defeated

losing

Translations

vaincre

besiegen

défaite

Niederlage

sconfitta

sconfiggere

vencer

derrota

vincere

battre

derrota

nederlaag

schlagen

ήττα

verslaan

Pronounced as (IPA)

/dɪˈfiːt/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: defeten

Inherited from Middle English: defet

In summary

From Middle English defeten, from Middle English defet (“disfigured”, past participle) and defet (“defect”, noun), see Etymology 2 below.