defeating
Saydi-FEET-ing/dɪˈfiːtɪŋ/
- 1Present participle and gerund of defeat.
Defeating the incumbent took months of relentless campaigning.
The general focused on defeating the enemy before winter set in.
Note
One -ing form doing two jobs. After a form of be it builds the progressive (they are defeating the rebels). Elsewhere it acts as a noun heading its own phrase, as subject or object. Because the verb defeat is transitive, that phrase takes a direct object (defeating the incumbent), where the noun defeat needs of (the defeat of the incumbent). The gerund keeps the action in view; the noun names the event.
defeating is a form of defeat
defeat, verb: To overcome an opponent in battle, competition, or contest. Full entry
- Spelling
- defeat → defeating: add -ing
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