Verb: defeat di'feet or dee'feet [N. Amer], di'feet [Brit]
- Win a victory over
"defeat your enemies";
- get the better of, overcome
- Reject or block a proposal, motion, or candidate through a formal vote
"defeat a motion";
- kill, shoot down, vote down, vote out
- An unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest
"it was a narrow defeat"; "the army's only defeat"
- The feeling that accompanies an experience of being thwarted in attaining your goals
"The team's defeat in the final game was a bitter disappointment";
- frustration
Derived forms: defeated, defeating, defeats
Type of: blackball, comedown [informal], conclusion, disappointment, ending, failure, finish, letdown, negative, sell [Brit, informal], veto, win
Antonym: triumph
Encyclopedia: Defeat