defeat

verb
UK: /dɪˈfiːt/
US: /dɪˈfiːt/

  1. To win against someone in a fight, game, or competition

    1. Our team will defeat them easily in the game, you'll see. [ ] [ ]
    2. The champion managed to defeat his opponent with a stunning knockout. [ ] [ ]

  2. To cause something to fail

    1. The rain might defeat our plans for a picnic today if it doesn't stop. [ ] [ ]
    2. Lack of funding could defeat the project's aim to improve local education. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

beat vanquish failure loss
defeat noun

  1. The act of losing a battle, game, or other competition

    1. That defeat was very hard for our team, they need support now. [ ] [ ]
    2. Despite the defeat, the team remained positive and focused on improvement. [ ] [ ]

  2. The state of being beaten or unsuccessful

    1. After that defeat he never played again, he was too sad about it. [ ] [ ]
    2. The general accepted defeat and ordered his troops to retreat immediately. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "defeat" in English means: To win against someone in a fight, game, or competition, To cause something to fail.

The phonetic transcription of "defeat" is /dɪˈfiːt/ in British English and /dɪˈfiːt/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "defeat": beat, vanquish, failure, loss.

Example usage of "defeat": "Our team will defeat them easily in the game, you'll see.". More examples on the page.