May 17, 2026 · The meaning of DEFEAT is to win victory over : beat. How to use defeat in a sentence.

DEFEAT definition: 1. to win against someone in a fight, war, or competition: 2. to cause someone or something to…. Learn more.

DEFEAT definition: to overcome in a contest, election, battle, etc.; prevail over; vanquish. See examples of defeat used in a sentence.

To do better than (another) in a competition or battle; win victory over; beat: "Whether we defeat the enemy in one battle, or by degrees, the consequences will be the same" (Thomas Paine).

Defeat is the opposite of victory. When you lose, you suffer defeat. When you win, you defeat your enemy.

Find 326 different ways to say DEFEAT, along with antonyms, related words, and example sentences at Thesaurus.com.

Look up defeat in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.