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de·feat

defeat

 
 
pronunciation:
dih fit
parts of speech:
transitive verb, noun
features:
Word Combinations (verb, noun), Word Explorer
part of speech: transitive verb
inflections: defeats, defeating, defeated
definition 1: to win a victory over; beat in a game, battle, or the like.
They pledged to defeat their enemy.Our team easily defeated last year's winning team.Do you think our candidate can defeat the others?
synonyms:
beat, best, conquer, overcome, vanquish
similar words:
checkmate, clobber, cream, crush, down, drub, humble, lick, master, outdo, overpower, overthrow, overwhelm, rout, subdue, subjugate, thrash, triumph over, trounce, upset, whomp, worst
definition 2: to keep from succeeding; cause to fail; frustrate or thwart.
His own lack of confidence and negative attitude defeated him.The rain defeated our plans for a day on the lake.
synonyms:
foil, frustrate, thwart
similar words:
break, crush, discomfit, lick, overcome, stymie
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part of speech: noun
definition 1: the act or an instance of defeating.
They celebrated their defeat of the enemy.We read of the defeat of the great former champion with some disappointment.
synonyms:
conquest, vanquishment
antonyms:
win
similar words:
beating, drubbing, fall, licking, miss, overthrow, rout, upset
definition 2: the condition or an instance of being defeated.
After we'd tried so hard, our defeat was hard to bear.
synonyms:
loss
antonyms:
triumph, victory
similar words:
balk, bust, checkmate, collapse, discomfiture, downfall, failure, frustration, miss, overthrow, setback, subversion
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