Meaning & use
defeat
To win a victory over someone or something in a contest, battle, or struggle.
See it in a sentence
The underdog team defeated the reigning champions in a stunning upset.
Doctors worked for years to defeat the disease that had puzzled researchers for decades.
A note on using this word
As a noun, defeat means the state of being beaten, as in 'accept defeat.'
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
lose tosurrender to
Another way to use it
2. noun
An instance of losing a contest, battle, or struggle against an opponent.
The narrow defeat left the players determined to train harder for next season.
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