Basic+ Word of the Day: defeat

defeat (verb, noun) past tense: defeated

"My team was defeated!"

Defeat means ‘to overcome in a contest’ or ‘to beat.’

• It was a close election, but our candidate defeated her opponent.
• In the US Civil War, The North defeated The South.

A defeat is the act of being overcome in a contest.

• Her son's basketball team did not accept the defeat well.
• After his defeat in the election, Robert decided to join a law firm.

Did you know?

In 1961, when President John F. Kennedy discussed his failed invasion of Cuba he said, “There’s an old saying, ‘Victory has a hundred fathers and defeat is an orphan.'” What do you think that means?

In pop culture

Here is a scene from the 1990 Stephen King movie IT. This clip is called “Pennywise is Defeated.” Warning: If you don’t like scary clowns, don’t watch this video!

There are other meanings of defeat.