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1. Dictionary

   De·feat

   /dəˈfēt/

   

   verb

   • 1. win a victory over (someone) in a battle or other contest; overcome or beat: "Arab armies defeated the Byzantine garrison" Similar beatconquerwin againstwin a victory overtriumph overprevail overget the better ofbestworstvanquishrouttrounceovercomeoverpoweroverthrowoverwhelmcrushquashbring someone to their kneesquellsubjugatesubduerepulseinformal:lickthrashhammerwhipwipe the floor withwalk all overgive someone a hidingtake to the cleanersblow out of the waterrun rings aroundmake mincemeat ofclobberpastepoundpulverizecrucifymurdermassacreslaughterdemolishdrubgive someone a drubbingcanezapflattenturn inside outtankpwnstuffmarmalizeblow outcreamshellacskunkslamownOpposite lose to
   • ▪ prevent (someone) from achieving an aim: "she was defeated by the last steep hill" Similar thwartblockfrustratepreventfoilbalkruinput a stop toscotchobviateforestalldebarsnookerderailobstructimpedehinderhamperdeterdiscomfitinformal:put the kibosh onnip in the budput paid toput the stopper ondo forstymiescupperput the mockers onnobbleOpposite advanceassist
   • ▪ prevent (an aim) from being achieved: "don't cheat by allowing your body to droop—this defeats the object of the exercise"
   • ▪ reject or block (a motion or proposal): "the amendment was defeated" Similar rejectoverthrowthrow outdismissoutvotespurnrebuffturn downinformal:give the thumbs downOpposite pass
   • ▪ be impossible for (someone) to understand: "this line of reasoning defeats me, I must confess" Similar bafflepuzzleperplexbewildermystifybemuseconfuseconfoundfrustratenonplusthrowinformal:beatflummoxdiscombobulatefazestumpfoxbe all Greek to
   • ▪ render null and void; annul.

   noun

   • 1. an instance of defeating or being defeated: "she had still not quite admitted defeat" Similar lossbeatingconquestconqueringbestingworstingvanquishingvanquishmentgame, set, and matchrouttrouncingoverpoweringsubjugationsubduingreversedebacledownfallinformal:thrashinghidingdrubbinglickinghammeringwhippingclobberingpastingpoundingpulverizingmassacreslaughterdemolitioncaningflatteningpwnageownagefailuredownfallbreakdowncollapseruinlack of successdiscomfiturerejectionfrustrationfounderingmisfiringoverthrowabortionmiscarriageundoingreversedisappointmentsetbackOpposite victorysuccess

   Word Origin late Middle English (in the sense ‘undo, destroy, annul’): from Old French desfait ‘undone’, past participle of desfaire, from medieval Latin disfacere ‘undo’.

   Scrabble Points: 10

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2. www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › defeatDefeat Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › dictionary › defeat

   • Cached

   The meaning of DEFEAT is to win victory over : beat. How to use defeat in a sentence. Synonym Discussion of Defeat.

3. www.merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › defeatDEFEAT Synonyms: 140 Similar and Opposite Words - Merriam-Webster

   www.merriam-webster.com › thesaurus › defeat

   • Cached

   Synonyms for DEFEAT: overcome, master, beat, worst, conquer, take, best, get; Antonyms of DEFEAT: lose (to), fall, go down, fail, give up, collapse, go under, fold

4. www.dictionary.com › browse › defeatDEFEAT Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

   www.dictionary.com › browse › defeat

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   Defeat definition: to overcome in a contest, election, battle, etc.; prevail over; vanquish. See examples of DEFEAT used in a sentence.

5. www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › defeatDefeat - Definition, Meaning & Synonyms | Vocabulary.com

   www.vocabulary.com › dictionary › defeat

   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.

6. dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › englishDEFEAT | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › dictionary › english

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   DEFEAT definition: 1. to win against someone in a fight, war, or competition: 2. to cause someone or something to…. Learn more.

7. dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionaryDEFEAT | definition in the Cambridge English Dictionary

   dictionary.cambridge.org › us › dictionary

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   DEFEAT meaning: 1. to win against someone in a fight, war, or competition: 2. to cause someone or something to…. Learn more.

8. www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › englishDEFEAT definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary

   www.collinsdictionary.com › dictionary › english

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   1. to overcome in a contest, election, battle, etc.; prevail over; vanquish. They defeated the enemy. She defeated her brother at tennis. 2. to frustrate; thwart. 3. to eliminate or deprive of something expected. The early returns defeated his hopes of election.

9. www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › us › definitiondefeat verb - Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes...

   www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › us › definition

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   to win against somebody in a war, competition, sports game, etc. synonym beat. defeat somebody/something He defeated the champion in three sets. to defeat a rival/an opponent. The goal is to defeat the enemy by whatever means possible. a defeated army.

10. www.yourdictionary.com › defeatDefeat Definition & Meaning | YourDictionary

    www.yourdictionary.com › defeat

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    Defeat definition: To do better than (another) in a competition or battle; win victory over; beat.

11. www.britannica.com › dictionary › defeatDefeat Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary

    www.britannica.com › dictionary › defeat

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    DEFEAT meaning: 1 : to win a victory over (someone or something) in a war, contest, game, etc.; 2 : to cause (someone or something) to fail