defeat

Formsdefeats, defeating, defeated

Pluraldefeats

1. 1
   verbtransitive

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

   Like beating the other team so they cannot win.

   She defeated her older brother at chess.

   Our team wants to defeat the league champions this year.

   Similarbeat, overcome, conquer, overpower, rout

   Note
2. 2
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The state of losing a fight, game, or contest.

   The team took their defeat with grace.

   After the election defeat, she thanked her supporters.

   Similarloss, beating, failure

   Oppositevictory, win, triumph, success

   Note
3. 3
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The act of beating an opponent in a fight or contest.

   Their defeat of the champions surprised everyone.

   The defeat of the enemy took many years.

   Similarconquest

4. 4
   verbtransitive

   To stop something from happening or succeeding.

   The new rule defeated their plans to expand.

   A single objection can defeat the whole proposal.

   Similarthwart, frustrate, foil, derail, sink

   Note
5. 5
   verbtransitive

   To make something no longer have any force or effect.

   The court ruling defeated the earlier agreement.

   A later clause can defeat an earlier promise in the contract.

   Similarnullify, invalidate, negate, void

   Note
6. 6
   verbtransitive

   To take away all of something's power or strength.

   The long march defeated the soldiers' energy.

   Cold weather can defeat a battery's power quickly.

   Similarbreak, crush, overcome, sap

   Note
7. 7
   noununcountable

   The blocking or stopping of something so it cannot succeed.

   The defeat of their travel plans left everyone frustrated.

   The repeated defeat of his hopes was hard to accept.

   Similarrejection, failure, frustration, nullification

   Note

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