The meaning of DEFEAT is to win victory over : beat. How to use defeat in a sentence.

DEFEAT meaning: 1. to win against someone in a fight, war, or competition: 2. to cause someone or something to…. Learn more.

Defeat definition: to overcome in a contest, election, battle, etc.; prevail over; vanquish.. See examples of DEFEAT used in a sentence.

To do better than (another) in a competition or battle; win victory over; beat: "Whether we defeat the enemy in one battle, or by degrees, the consequences will be the same" (Thomas Paine).

Oct 11, 2025 · defeat (countable and uncountable, plural defeats) The act or instance of being defeated, of being overcome or vanquished; a loss. quotations

Defeat is the experience of being beaten in a battle, game, or contest, or of failing to achieve what you wanted to. The most important thing is not to admit defeat until you really have to.

Defeat suggests beating or frustrating: to defeat an enemy in battle. Conquer implies finally gaining control over, usually after a series of efforts or against systematic resistance: to …

There are ten meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun defeat, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Some common synonyms of defeat are conquer, overcome, overthrow, reduce, subdue, and vanquish. While all these words mean "to get the better of by force or strategy," defeat does …

DEFEAT definition: 1. to win against someone in a fight, war, or competition: 2. to cause someone or something to…. Learn more.