Reading Theme:

Language:

Font Size:

📕 rednote ID(小红书号)：3881567312

Defeat Meaning, Examples & Usage (2 meaning)

Meaning 1：beat (defeat)

defeat 🔊

/dɪˈfiːt/

n./vt.

to win against someone in a competition, game, or fight.

beat 🔊

➕

/biːt/

n./vt.

To overcome or beat an opponent in a game, fight, or competition.

📁 Category：Entertainment & Sports 🔖 Level：初级

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Latin "dis-" (apart) + "facere" (to do), meaning "to undo".

💡 Mnemonic

Think "de-feet" — to defeat someone is to knock them off their feet.

📖 Example

After months of training, she finally managed to defeat the reigning champion in the tennis finals. 🔊 After months of training, she finally managed to defeat the reigning champion in the tennis finals.

🔗 Collocations

defeat an opponent – to beat a rival in a competition

defeat a champion – to overcome a titleholder

defeat a team – to win against a group

🔄 Synonyms

beat (v.) – to strike or overcome; to defeat someone in a contest

overcome (v.) – to successfully deal with or gain control over something

conquer (v.) – to take control over by force or overcome a challenge

🚫 Antonyms

lose (v.) – to be defeated or fail to win

surrender (v.) – to give up or yield to an opponent

yield (v.) – to give way or submit to a superior force

🌱 Derivatives

defeated (adj.) – having been beaten in a competition or conflict

defeating (adj.) – causing or resulting in defeat

defeatist (n.) – a person who expects failure or accepts defeat too readily

📖 Cultural Story

Originally from Old French "desfeit" (destroyed), from Latin dis- + facere. It shifted from military defeat to sports and competition.

Meaning 2：loss (defeat)

defeat 🔊

/dɪˈfiːt/

n./vt.

the state or experience of losing a competition, game, or important effort.

loss 🔊

➕

/lɔːs/

n./vt.

The state or experience of being beaten or failing to achieve a desired outcome in a competitive situation.

📁 Category：Social Economy 🔖 Level：中级

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Example

The candidate accepted his defeat in the election gracefully and congratulated his rival. 🔊 The candidate accepted his defeat in the election gracefully and congratulated his rival.

🔗 Collocations

admit defeat – to acknowledge that one has lost

accept defeat – to come to terms with losing

suffer defeat – to experience a loss in a contest

🔄 Synonyms

loss (n.) – the fact or process of losing something or being defeated

failure (n.) – lack of success in achieving a goal

setback (n.) – a reversal or check in progress

🚫 Antonyms

victory (n.) – success in a competition or battle

win (n.) – an instance of winning

triumph (n.) – a great victory or achievement

🌱 Derivatives

defeated (adj.) – having been beaten in a competition or conflict

defeatism (n.) – the attitude of expecting failure or accepting defeat readily

defeatist (n.) – a person who expects failure or accepts defeat too readily