Synonyms for defeat
dɪˈfitde·feat

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

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 AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

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 WordNetRate these synonyms:3.0 / 1 vote

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 SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

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 WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

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 databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "defeat":

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

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How to use defeat in a sentence?

1. Tristain Shury:

   True peace cannot be obtained through force, it can only be contained. Peace requires understanding, defeat can create bitter hearts and minds wanting to seek revenge.

2. Peter Hotez:

   We know from past epidemics what that means, the best way to do this is to vaccinate your way out of it in collaboration with masks, we can't be either, or -- the only way we are going to defeat this virus is with both.

3. Robert Green Ingersoll:

   The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.

4. 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.

5. Mike Pompeo:

   Shes a non-citizen terrorist; she has no legal basis for a claim of U.S. citizenship, shes not coming back to the United States to create the risk that someday shed return to the battlefield and continue to put at risk American people, American kids, American boys and girls that were sent to help defeat ISIS -- she put them at risk, shes not a U.S.citizen, shes not coming back.