Defeat
/dɪˈfiːt/
nounverbB2
Definition
Defeat as a verb means to win over someone or something, making them lose. As a noun, it means the loss itself or the situation when someone fails to win. It is often used in sports, games, competitions, or conflicts where one side wins and the other loses.
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⚡ See It in Action
Verb: To win against someone or something
- •The team defeated their rivals in the final match.
- •She defeated her opponent in the chess tournament.
- •The army defeated the enemy after a long battle.
Noun: The state of losing or being beaten
- •The defeat was hard for the players to accept.
- •After the defeat, the team promised to work harder.
- •His defeat in the election surprised many people.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'defeat' like 'lose' (A1 word), but from the winner’s point of view—it means to make someone else lose
- ✓Picture a sports game where one team scores more points and the other team feels sad because they lost
- ✓It's the feeling when you try hard but still don’t win, like losing a race or a game
- ✓Sounds like 'de-FEET' → imagine someone stepping on your feet in a race so you can’t run well and lose
- ✓Think of famous sports matches where one team defeats another, like in the World Cup or Olympics
- ✓NOT like 'win' (success), 'defeat' is the opposite, meaning failure or loss
- ✓NOT like 'draw' or 'tie' (no winner), defeat means one side clearly loses
- ✓NOT like 'fail' (general not succeed), defeat usually means losing to an opponent or challenge directly
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Win over: to beat someone in a competition (Use when focusing on the action of winning)
- •Beat: to defeat someone in a game or contest (Use in casual or sports contexts)
- •Loss: the noun for being defeated (Use when talking about the result, not the action)
- •Overcome: to successfully deal with a problem or opponent (Use when focusing on challenges, not just contests)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: 'de-' (down, away) + 'feat' from Latin 'facere' meaning to do or make → originally meaning to bring down or overcome
- •Etymology: From Old French 'defait' meaning undone or destroyed, from Latin roots
- •Historical development: Used since Middle Ages to mean overcoming an enemy or obstacle
- •Modern usage: Common in sports, military, politics, and everyday challenges to show winning or losing
💭 Reflect & Connect
•Can defeat sometimes help people learn and grow? How?
•How do different cultures show respect or reaction to defeat?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The team was able to defeat their opponents because they ___ practiced for months.
2.After the defeat, the players felt ___ but promised to try harder next time.
3.Unlike a draw, a defeat means one side clearly ___ the other.
4.When someone defeats you in a game, it means they ___ better than you.
5.The coach said the defeat was a chance to ___ weaknesses and improve.
6.Many athletes feel sad after a defeat but use it as ___ to succeed later.
7.The word defeat often ___ with words like 'complete,' 'total,' or 'crushing' to show how strong the loss was.