defeated

1. 1
   verb

   Simple past and past participle of defeat.

   The general's forces defeated the rebellion within weeks.

   Voters defeated the proposal in a close referendum.

   Note

   The regular past of a transitive verb, so one spelling does two jobs. As a simple past it takes its object directly (voters defeated the proposal). As a participle it follows have for the perfect (they have defeated the rebellion) or be for the passive, where the loser becomes the subject (the soldiers were defeated). Because defeat also means to thwart, the passive suits plans as readily as people.

2. 2
   adjective

   Beaten, overcome, or brought under control after losing a struggle or contest.

   The defeated army surrendered its weapons at dawn.

   He came home from the long campaign looking tired and defeated.

   Similarbeaten, vanquished, dejected, demoralized

   Oppositevictorious, triumphant

   Note

   Here the participle has settled into a word for a state, and often a mood. It grades like any adjective (more defeated, most defeated), and that is the easiest way to tell it from the verb form. Words like very or more mark the adjective; a by-phrase naming the winner marks the verb. It sits before a noun (a defeated army) or after look and feel (looking defeated).

Showing meanings only. Show all 2