as in overcoming
to achieve a victory over
they defeated their archrivals easily and moved into the next round of the play-offs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of defeating
Koda Holeman opened the match by defeating Jeremiah Reno by technical fall 17-2.
—
Michael Harley, Arkansas Online, 16 Feb. 2026
The Senate approved its version (SB 7040) by a largely partisan vote of 29-10, after defeating a Democratic amendment to restrict the spending to genuine disasters.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2026
So, Edwards, Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren, Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker and Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey went to the final, defeating Team Stripes, which featured Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, Houston Rockets’ Kevin Durant and the hometown favorite, Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Denmark defeating Latvia thanks to a 33-save performance by Frederik Andersen moved it up in what’s a positive bounce for Czechia.
—Stephen Whyno, Twin Cities, 16 Feb. 2026
Media members capture photos of Ben Shelton (USA) with his championship trophy after defeating Taylor Fritz (USA) in the singles finals of the Dallas Open men's tennis tournament which was held at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco on February 15, 2026.
—Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
The shooting stars competition returned to All-Star Weekend after a 10-year absence, with Team Knicks defeating Team Cameron 47-38.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2026
In November, Chavarin scored two goals in the Liguilla (playoffs) as Cruz Azul made it to the semifinals for the first time in their history, defeating the reigning champions Club Pachuca in the quarterfinals 6-2 on aggregate.
—Theo Lloyd-Hughes, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
For the Chinese Communist Party, which stakes its claim to legitimacy on defeating Japanese invaders during World War II, that would be an unforgivable outrage.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Michael Harley, Arkansas Online, 16 Feb. 2026
The Senate approved its version (SB 7040) by a largely partisan vote of 29-10, after defeating a Democratic amendment to restrict the spending to genuine disasters.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 16 Feb. 2026
So, Edwards, Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren, Phoenix Suns’ Devin Booker and Philadelphia 76ers’ Tyrese Maxey went to the final, defeating Team Stripes, which featured Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James, Houston Rockets’ Kevin Durant and the hometown favorite, Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 16 Feb. 2026
Denmark defeating Latvia thanks to a 33-save performance by Frederik Andersen moved it up in what’s a positive bounce for Czechia.
—Stephen Whyno, Twin Cities, 16 Feb. 2026
Media members capture photos of Ben Shelton (USA) with his championship trophy after defeating Taylor Fritz (USA) in the singles finals of the Dallas Open men's tennis tournament which was held at Ford Center at The Star in Frisco on February 15, 2026.
—Dallas Morning News, 16 Feb. 2026
The shooting stars competition returned to All-Star Weekend after a 10-year absence, with Team Knicks defeating Team Cameron 47-38.
—Steve Galluzzo, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2026
In November, Chavarin scored two goals in the Liguilla (playoffs) as Cruz Azul made it to the semifinals for the first time in their history, defeating the reigning champions Club Pachuca in the quarterfinals 6-2 on aggregate.
—Theo Lloyd-Hughes, New York Times, 13 Feb. 2026
For the Chinese Communist Party, which stakes its claim to legitimacy on defeating Japanese invaders during World War II, that would be an unforgivable outrage.
—Andy Browne, semafor.com, 9 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defeating
Verb
-
Jones said her journey to reach this point has been defined by overcoming adversity and a devotion to family.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
12 Feb. 2026
-
Medical experts and public health leaders say overcoming hesitancy is key in preventing further spread in and around Charlotte, and preventing the rise of other infectious diseases.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Participating from the original sessions were Earle Mankey, the first engineer at Brother Studio in the 1970s; John Hanlon, the second engineer for those same recordings; and mastering engineer Jeff Peters, who first put the mixes to vinyl.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Liu skated on, mastering her jumps and repeating as national champion in 2020, though age restrictions prevented her from entering international competitions.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Scottie Barnes won the opening 12-minute game for the Stars with a game-ending 3-pointer in overtime, beating the World 37-36 after Edwards forced OT.—
Greg Beacham,
Twin Cities,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Shooting and beating American citizens in the streets, demolishing history, covering up obvious crimes, threatening our allies, targeting political adversaries and using the office for personal enrichment are just a few things that have occurred and gone unchecked by powers that control Congress.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Basically, look for a design that looks like as though was made for walking in the Mediterranean, but also for conquering the city streets.—
Alex Sales,
Glamour,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Before 1946, conquering disease would have seemed as much a subject of science fiction as putting a man on the moon.—
Vann R. Newkirk II,
The Atlantic,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Also on Tuesday, Indivisible CT is conducting an anti-ICE rally on the state Capitol lawn, taking political aim at a federal agency that has fallen sharply out of public favor after killing two American citizens in Minnesota and roughing up scores of others.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
17 Feb. 2026
-
The European Union’s first offshore carbon storage facility, taking emissions from Denmark and injecting them into the seabed below the North Sea, is due to start operating by mid-2026.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
For example, when Ilana is undressing, the camera is fixed on Dana being mindful to give her privacy even in their close proximity — an out of focus glimpse of Ilana’s bare backside comes only when getting a reaction of Emma taking in the weight of the moment.—
Senior Television,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Obviously, getting another gold medal for her, so happy for her.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Ukrzaliznytsia is responding to the intensity and growing accuracy of Russian attacks by trying to protect critical points on the system and by dispatching rapid recovery teams.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
-
In the playoffs, with QB Drake Maye struggling, the Patriots leaned on their defense, dispatching the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans in the first two rounds.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When stopping roadside, position your vehicle as far off the road as possible, ideally beyond guardrails.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
17 Feb. 2026
-
For years, the staunchest border hawks and hard-liners justified their positions in terms of stopping unlawful immigration.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defeating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defeating. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
