Synonyms for defeat
dɪˈfitde·feat

English Synonyms and Antonyms(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate these synonyms:

1. defeat

   Strike is the word for a single blow; to beat is to strike repeatedly, as a bird beats the air with its wings. Others of the above words describe the manner of beating, as bastinado, to beat on the soles of the feet; belabor, to inflict a comprehensive and exhaustive beating; cudgel, to beat with a stick; thrash, as wheat was beaten out with the old hand-flail; to pound (akin to Latin pondus, a weight) is to beat with a heavy, and pommel with a blunt, instrument. To batter and to bruise refer to the results of beating; that is battered which is broken or defaced by repeated blows on the surface (compare synonyms for SHATTER); that is bruised which has suffered even one severe contusion. The metaphorical sense of beat, however, so far preponderates that one may be very badly bruised and battered, and yet not be said to be beaten, unless he has got the worst of the beating. To beat a combatant is to disable or dishearten him for further fighting. Hence beat becomes the synonym for every word which implies getting the advantage of another. Compare CONQUER.

   Almost all antonyms in this class are passive, and can be formed indefinitely from the conquering words by the use of the auxiliary be; as, be beaten, be defeated, be conquered, etc.

   Synonyms:
   bastinado, batter, beat, belabor, bruise, castigate, chastise, conquer, cudgel, flog, overcome, pommel, pound, scourge, smite, spank, strike, surpass, switch, thrash, vanquish, whip, worst

   Antonyms:
   fail, fall, get the worst of, go down, go under, surrender

   Preposition:
   Beat with a stick over the head; beat by a trick; out of town; beat to the ground; into submission.

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. defeatnoun

   Synonyms:
   frustration, overthrow, discomfiture

   Antonyms:
   victory, triumph, success

2. defeatverb

   Synonyms:
   conquer, overcome, worst, beat, baffle, rout, overthrow, vanquish, frustrate, foil

   Antonyms:
   secure, promote, insure, speed, advance, establish, aid

Princeton's WordNet(3.00 / 1 vote)Rate these synonyms:

1. defeat, lickingnoun

   an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest

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

   Synonyms:
   thrashing, trouncing, frustration, whacking, drubbing, beating, lacing, licking

   Antonyms:
   triumph, victory

2. frustration, defeatverb

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

   Synonyms:
   frustration, thwarting, licking, foiling

   Antonyms:
   victory, triumph

3. get the better of, overcome, defeatverb

   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"

   Synonyms:
   surmount, vote out, overwhelm, overcome, subdue, kill, get the best, whelm, overpower, shoot down, vote down, get the better of, sweep over, have the best, overtake, get over, master

   Antonyms:
   victory, triumph

4. kill, shoot down, defeat, vote down, vote outverb

   thwart the passage of

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

   Synonyms:
   pour down, drink down, toss off, shoot, wipe out, overcome, buck, kill, down, bolt down, pop, stamp out, belt down, tear, vote down, shoot down, vote out, charge, obliterate, land, get the better of, turn thumbs down

   Antonyms:
   victory, triumph

Dictionary of English Synonymes(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. defeatnoun

   Synonyms:
   overthrow, downfall, rout, discomfiture, repulse

2. defeatnoun

   Synonyms:
   frustration

3. defeatverb

   Synonyms:
   conquer, overthrow, overcome, vanquish, checkmate, repulse, beat, discomfit, rout

4. defeatverb

   Synonyms:
   frustrate, baffle, foil, balk, disconcert, disappoint

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these synonyms:

1. defeatnoun

   Synonyms:
   repulse, overthrow, vanquishment, foil, rout, frustration, disappointment

2. defeatverb

   Synonyms:
   conquer, vanquish, repulse, discomfit, rout, checkmate, outwit, balk, foil, frustrate

PPDB, the paraphrase database(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate these paraphrases:

1. List of paraphrases for "defeat":

   beat, defeating, overcome, vanquish, failure, conquer, rout, defeated, invalidation, defeats, setback, thwart, frustrate, overcoming, loss, slaughter

How to pronounce defeat?

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Words popularity by usage frequency

How to use defeat in a sentence?

1. President Donald Trump:

   We continue our relentless effort to defeat the Chinese virus.

2. Teddy Riner:

   The goal is to win at the Olympics in Tokyo and to be extremely good on D-Day, this defeat is a failure but it will show me what I have to work on. It's also a relief because I had been under tremendous pressure to always win for 10 years.

3. Ehsan Sehgal:

   The severe defeat and collapse of time and life define such a context that you receive nothing, except self-harming and self-disgrace; indeed, it is a task of fools and morally dead ones.

4. Jonathan Levin:

   The public nature of the network does give law enforcement an angle to help defeat them, but it’s a game of cat and mouse.

5. Lydia Child:

   A reformer is one who sets forth cheerfully toward sure defeat.