as in to overcome
to achieve a victory over
they defeated their archrivals easily and moved into the next round of the play-offs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in loss
failure to win a contest
sore losers still griping about their defeat in the basketball game earlier that week
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in collapse
a falling short of one's goals
truly disheartened by the defeat of his plans to revitalize downtown
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of defeat
Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025
The Warriors went 48-34 last season, defeating the Rockets in seven games before falling to the Timberwolves in the second round.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 28 May 2025
Dave Quinn, People.com, 28 May 2025
Errant with all five pitches, Wandy Peralta issued a killer walk to a raw No. 9 hitter who’d gifted him with strike one.
Hart, who said the defeat fell on him, allowed Jesús Sanchez’s first homer against a lefty this year.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for defeat
Verb
Israel has vowed to continue the war until all the hostages are returned and Hamas has been either defeated or disarmed and sent into exile.
—Samy Magdy, Los Angeles Times, 28 May 2025
The Warriors went 48-34 last season, defeating the Rockets in seven games before falling to the Timberwolves in the second round.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 28 May 2025
Noun
The operation, which took place in 1943, played a key role in the Axis defeat by confusing the enemy around the timing/location of military operations.
—Dave Quinn, People.com, 28 May 2025
Errant with all five pitches, Wandy Peralta issued a killer walk to a raw No. 9 hitter who’d gifted him with strike one.
Hart, who said the defeat fell on him, allowed Jesús Sanchez’s first homer against a lefty this year.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for defeat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defeat
Verb
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Learning how to overcome your own anxiety is the first step to helping your kids do the same, said Robbins.—
Ashton Jackson,
CNBC,
30 May 2025
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Skubal overcame a Tommy John procedure in college and a flexor tendon surgery earlier in his big-league career to become one of baseball’s elite pitchers.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
Noun
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One of the key themes of Part II is the fact that everyone is only seeing things from their perspective; all these characters who are suffering loss and passing that suffering on to others are doing so in ignorance.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
27 May 2025
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Being moved to the rear of the field also resulted in the loss of Ericsson's and Kirkwood's prize money and the championship points from their original finishes.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
27 May 2025
Noun
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There were also signs of lung collapse and fluid buildup (edema).—
Beth Mole,
ArsTechnica,
28 May 2025
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Meanwhile, rural hospitals — already on the brink of collapse — will close their doors, leaving entire communities without access to emergency care.—
Brian Castrucci,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Maron will portray Chuck Plotkin, the producer who painstakingly mastered Springsteen’s pivotal 1982 album Nebraska.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
2 June 2025
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There’s a belief that merely mastering a posture that keeps the battle alive, even if the defender successfully wipes the hand away while simultaneously bringing more power to the punches that do connect, can shift those win-rate averages from league worst to something more manageable.—
Paul Dehner Jr,
New York Times,
2 June 2025
Noun
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The New York City Police Department (NYPD) has arrested one man and is searching for another after the brutal beating of a 27-year-old off-duty officer during a robbery in the Bronx early Saturday.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
28 May 2025
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He was then bound by the wrists and subjected to beatings, electric shock and a hit to the head from a gun.—
Mark Crudele,
ABC News,
27 May 2025
Noun
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Yesterday, when asked about Musk’s criticism--which could sink the entire bill, if enough Senate Republicans like Ron Johnson and their constituents turn against it--the president chalked it up to sour grapes over the bill’s failure to extend EV tax credits.—
Kelly Evans,
CNBC,
6 June 2025
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This is a classic Washington move — blame the private sector to cover for a government failure.—
Stacy Washington,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 June 2025
Verb
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The men beat 27-year-old Chin with a baseball bat, cracking his skull.—
Hannah Allam,
ProPublica,
31 May 2025
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The Oilers, who finished third in the Pacific Division, beat the Los Angeles Kings in six games, the Vegas Golden Knights in five games and the Dallas Stars in five games to return to the Stanley Cup Final.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
30 May 2025
Noun
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Zelenskyy said the setbacks for the Kremlin would help force it to the negotiating table, even as its pursues a summer offensive on the battlefield.—
Mehmet Guzel,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2025
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Zelensky said the setbacks for the Kremlin would help force it to the negotiating table, even as its pursues a summer offensive on the battlefield.—
Mehmet Guzel,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Defeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defeat. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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