Definitions for defeat
dɪˈfitde·feat

Princeton's WordNet(2.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. defeat, licking(noun)

   an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest

   "it was a narrow defeat"; "the army's only defeat"; "they suffered a convincing licking"

2. frustration, defeat(verb)

   the feeling that accompanies an experience of being thwarted in attaining your goals

3. get the better of, overcome, defeat(verb)

   win a victory over

   "You must overcome all difficulties"; "defeat your enemies"; "He overcame his shyness"; "He overcame his infirmity"; "Her anger got the better of her and she blew up"

4. kill, shoot down, defeat, vote down, vote out(verb)

   thwart the passage of

   "kill a motion"; "he shot down the student's proposal"

Wiktionary(2.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. defeat(Noun)

   The act of defeating or being defeated

   Etymology: from desfait, from the verb desfaire des + faciō (to unmake).

2. defeat(Verb)

   To overcome in battle or contest.

   Wellington defeated Napoleon at Waterloo.

   Etymology: from desfait, from the verb desfaire des + faciō (to unmake).

3. defeat(Verb)

   To destroy, ruin, undo, lay waste to.

   Etymology: from desfait, from the verb desfaire des + faciō (to unmake).

4. defeat(Verb)

   To nullify; to reduce, to nothing, the strength of.

   Etymology: from desfait, from the verb desfaire des + faciō (to unmake).

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Defeat(verb)

   to undo; to disfigure; to destroy

   Etymology: [Cf. F. dfaite, fr. dfaire. See Defeat, v.]

2. Defeat(verb)

   to render null and void, as a title; to frustrate, as hope; to deprive, as of an estate

   Etymology: [Cf. F. dfaite, fr. dfaire. See Defeat, v.]

3. Defeat(verb)

   to overcome or vanquish, as an army; to check, disperse, or ruin by victory; to overthrow

   Etymology: [Cf. F. dfaite, fr. dfaire. See Defeat, v.]

4. Defeat(verb)

   to resist with success; as, to defeat an assault

   Etymology: [Cf. F. dfaite, fr. dfaire. See Defeat, v.]

5. Defeat

   an undoing or annulling; destruction

   Etymology: [Cf. F. dfaite, fr. dfaire. See Defeat, v.]

6. Defeat

   frustration by rendering null and void, or by prevention of success; as, the defeat of a plan or design

   Etymology: [Cf. F. dfaite, fr. dfaire. See Defeat, v.]

7. Defeat

   an overthrow, as of an army in battle; loss of a battle; repulse suffered; discomfiture; -- opposed to victory

   Etymology: [Cf. F. dfaite, fr. dfaire. See Defeat, v.]

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Defeat

   de-fēt′, v.t. to frustrate: to ruin.—n. a frustration of plans: ruin: overthrow, as of an army in battle.—n. Defeat′ure (Spens.), defeat: disfigurement, disguise. [O. Fr. defait, defaire, to undo—L. dis, neg. facĕre, to do.]

Military Dictionary and Gazetteer(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. defeat

   This word expresses the complete want of success of an army; a repulse signifying less, and a rout more, than defeat.

2. defeat

   To resist with success; as, to defeat an assault.

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'defeat' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3245

2. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'defeat' in Nouns Frequency: #1306

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'defeat' in Verbs Frequency: #623

How to pronounce defeat?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say defeat in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of defeat in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of defeat in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of defeat in a Sentence

1. Lloyd Austin:

   ISIL needs those funds to pay their fighters, to recruit new fighters and to conduct their various maligned activities, you know, we said from the outset of this campaign that to defeat ISIL, we're going to have to take away its ability to resource.

2. Yashwant Sinha:

   They should be very worried, especially after the defeat in the three major Hindi heartland states.

3. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier:

   The group's structures in Syria and Iraq are intertwined, so that a defeat for Islamic State in Mosul would undoubtedly have consequences for the situation in Syria.

4. Defense Secretary Ash Carter:

   To eliminate the parent tumor in Iraq and Syria, we are enabling local, motivated forces with critical support from a global coalition wielding a suite of capabilities — ranging from airstrikes, special forces, cyber tools, intelligence, equipment, mobility and logistics, training, advice and assistance, it must be local forces who deliver( ISIS) a lasting defeat, because only they can secure and govern the territory by building long-term trust within the populations they liberate.

5. Joe Biden:

   I want to thank Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders ' and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders ' supporters for Bernie Sanders and his supporters tireless energy and Bernie Sanders and his supporters passion, we share a common goal and together we will defeat Donald Trump. We will defeat Donald Trump together. We are going to bring this nation together.

Images & Illustrations of defeat

Popularity rank by frequency of use