defeat 1 of 2

defeat

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb defeat differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of defeat are conquer, overcome, overthrow, reduce, subdue, and vanquish. While all these words mean "to get the better of by force or strategy," defeat does not imply the finality or completeness of vanquish which it otherwise equals.

the Confederates defeated the Union forces at Manassas

When is conquer a more appropriate choice than defeat?

In some situations, the words conquer and defeat are roughly equivalent. However, conquer implies gaining mastery of.

Caesar conquered Gaul

When could overcome be used to replace defeat?

While in some cases nearly identical to defeat, overcome suggests getting the better of with difficulty or after hard struggle.

overcame a host of bureaucratic roadblocks

When might overthrow be a better fit than defeat?

While the synonyms overthrow and defeat are close in meaning, overthrow stresses the bringing down or destruction of existing power.

violently overthrew the old regime

When can reduce be used instead of defeat?

The meanings of reduce and defeat largely overlap; however, reduce implies a forcing to capitulate or surrender.

the city was reduced after a month-long siege

Where would subdue be a reasonable alternative to defeat?

The words subdue and defeat are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, subdue implies a defeating and suppression.

subdued the native tribes after years of fighting

When would vanquish be a good substitute for defeat?

The synonyms vanquish and defeat are sometimes interchangeable, but vanquish implies a complete overpowering.

vanquished the enemy and ended the war

Examples of defeat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
In Arizona, where Biden defeated Trump in 2020 by just over 10,000 votes, over 31,000 citizens were naturalized over the period. Nina Turner, Newsweek, 30 Oct. 2024 This year is the tenth anniversary of the Scottish independence referendum, which whilst the motion for independence was defeated, set in train a groundswell in favour of independence and the resulting electoral landslide for the Scottish National Party in the subsequent general election. Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024
Noun
Pacers hand Celtics their first defeat of the season The Indiana Pacers survived a huge comeback attempt from the Boston Celtics to hand the defending champions their first defeat of the season on Wednesday. Matias Grez, CNN, 31 Oct. 2024 The Yankees’ bats largely went quiet into the night with Monday night bringing on a 4-2 defeat. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 29 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for defeat 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'defeat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near defeat

Cite this Entry

“Defeat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defeat. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on defeat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!