as in overcomes
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
1
as in losses
failure to win a contest
sore losers still griping about their defeat in the basketball game earlier that week
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in collapses
a falling short of one's goals
truly disheartened by the defeat of his plans to revitalize downtown
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 defeats
Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Learning from losing Anthony Edwards is stealing the superpowers of whoever defeats him.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
The only defeats the Raiders have this year were at the prestigious Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas just before Christmas, the second out-of-state trip the team took in December following a weekend jaunt to Arizona for a couple of games earlier in the month.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026
South Carroll defeats Rising Sun in the Class 1A final during the 2026 MPSSAA Dual Wrestling State Championships at North Point High School on Saturday, Feb 14.
—Brian T. Krista, Baltimore Sun, 14 Feb. 2026
Gold Coast League co-champions Brentwood and Crossroads have already met twice and could meet a third time in the second round of the Division 1 playoffs if Brentwood defeats Fairmont Prep and Crossroads defeats Long Beach Poly.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
And that defeats the entire purpose of the change.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
If New England defeats Buffalo on Sunday, the Patriots will clinch the AFC East title for the first time since 2019.
—CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
If that happens and San Diego State defeats New Mexico, Boise State would play at SDSU in the title game, with the winner heading to the LA Bowl.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 26 Nov. 2025
Susan Page, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Two of America’s largest tech companies suffered stunning defeats in court this week, sustaining early jolts in what could prove to be a seismic shift in how social media operates amid a new landscape of legal risk.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
Meta had the worst week in the group, dropping more than 11% after two stinging court defeats added to the social media company's challenges.
—Ari Levy, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
Close games and defeats seem inevitable for a Dallas team that has lost five straight; 14 of its last 16; and 24 of its last 28.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
Two members of Senate leadership, including Senate Pro Tem Kelly Anthon, R-Declo, introduced four new immigration bills Thursday morning during the Senate State Affairs Committee meeting, after months of legislative hiccups and defeats on the topic.
—Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2026
As The Verge notes, Meta — alongside other social media companies including TikTok — is still facing many other lawsuits later this year, meaning that this week’s legal defeats could be just the beginning.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 25 Mar. 2026
Jan Jensen’s group stacked eight straight wins up through the conference semifinal, with two convincing defeats of Michigan.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Ghalibaf accused Israel of attacking infrastructure to conceal battlefield defeats in an X post.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
If Mexico defeats Italy, they are guaranteed to move on, leaving the final spot between Team USA and Italy.
—Ryan Canfield, FOXNews.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Learning from losing Anthony Edwards is stealing the superpowers of whoever defeats him.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026
The only defeats the Raiders have this year were at the prestigious Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas just before Christmas, the second out-of-state trip the team took in December following a weekend jaunt to Arizona for a couple of games earlier in the month.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 6 Mar. 2026
South Carroll defeats Rising Sun in the Class 1A final during the 2026 MPSSAA Dual Wrestling State Championships at North Point High School on Saturday, Feb 14.
—Brian T. Krista, Baltimore Sun, 14 Feb. 2026
Gold Coast League co-champions Brentwood and Crossroads have already met twice and could meet a third time in the second round of the Division 1 playoffs if Brentwood defeats Fairmont Prep and Crossroads defeats Long Beach Poly.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
And that defeats the entire purpose of the change.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
If New England defeats Buffalo on Sunday, the Patriots will clinch the AFC East title for the first time since 2019.
—CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
If that happens and San Diego State defeats New Mexico, Boise State would play at SDSU in the title game, with the winner heading to the LA Bowl.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 26 Nov. 2025
Noun
In the wake of Republican defeats in a string of special elections − including a Democratic victory in the Florida state house race to represent the president's home district − the record-setting protests were one more omen of upheaval ahead in November's midterm elections.
—Susan Page, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2026
Two of America’s largest tech companies suffered stunning defeats in court this week, sustaining early jolts in what could prove to be a seismic shift in how social media operates amid a new landscape of legal risk.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 28 Mar. 2026
Meta had the worst week in the group, dropping more than 11% after two stinging court defeats added to the social media company's challenges.
—Ari Levy, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
Close games and defeats seem inevitable for a Dallas team that has lost five straight; 14 of its last 16; and 24 of its last 28.
—Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
Two members of Senate leadership, including Senate Pro Tem Kelly Anthon, R-Declo, introduced four new immigration bills Thursday morning during the Senate State Affairs Committee meeting, after months of legislative hiccups and defeats on the topic.
—Idaho Statesman, 26 Mar. 2026
As The Verge notes, Meta — alongside other social media companies including TikTok — is still facing many other lawsuits later this year, meaning that this week’s legal defeats could be just the beginning.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 25 Mar. 2026
Jan Jensen’s group stacked eight straight wins up through the conference semifinal, with two convincing defeats of Michigan.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Ghalibaf accused Israel of attacking infrastructure to conceal battlefield defeats in an X post.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, Arkansas Online, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defeats
Verb
-
Leo consistently overcomes challenges such as low light, rapid movement, and split second moments to produce sharp, compelling images.—
Heide Janssen,
Oc Register,
15 Mar. 2026
-
LithSonic overcomes this challenge by using supersonic flow, similar to the conditions inside a rocket engine, to achieve ultra-rapid cooling through a process known as shock quenching.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The analysis, released Friday by the California Department of Insurance and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, found that meeting wildfire safety standards for roughly 30,000 homes within the Eaton and Pacific Palisades burn areas would significantly cut average annual losses.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Corona del Mar’s boys volleyball team recently suffered a couple of losses in the Sunset League.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
In the Santiago de Cuba province, housing damage was particularly severe, with 95,000 homes affected, 2,300 total collapses, and 6,000 complete roof failures.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
17 Mar. 2026
-
Building collapses are common in Nairobi, where housing is in high demand and unscrupulous developers often bypass regulations or simply violate building codes.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Kravitz masters the concept of blending genres, mixing crystal light fixtures and an exceptionally rare $45,000 leather panel bed with artisanal pieces and textures in his bedding and rugs.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
11 Mar. 2026
-
From basic fraud claims and partnership disputes to the more esoteric involving combustion turbines, citrus canker or automobile line recalls or land use development issues, Waldman masters the material and, time and again, has delivered big-time results for his clients.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Of those seven losses, setbacks against Dallas and Chicago (while both were still trying to win) and Milwaukee could at least be rationalized.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Despite these very public setbacks, the U-2 became a hidden success story and a major player during the Cold War.—
David Szondy
March 29,
New Atlas,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The interviews, contained in the DOJ’s Epstein library, are wide ranging, but focus primarily on policy failures — such as understaffing, excessive overtime and misconduct that the DOJ later said contributed to Epstein’s suicide.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Their relationship was tested by their mutual October failures.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Because of its location—facing the St-Lawrence River and the Old Port—nothing beats watching summer fireworks from Terrasse sur l’Auberge up on the roof.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
-
October 23 – November 21 By midday, steadiness beats speed at work.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Once there, the complaint says, he was thrust into CECOT and subjected to physical beatings, psychological abuse, inhumane conditions and isolation from family and attorneys.—
Verónica Egui Brito,
Miami Herald,
25 Mar. 2026
-
Other kids in the household also had been physically abused, including a 10-year-old girl who withstood routine beatings with a belt over a 22-month period, Lake County authorities discovered.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defeats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defeats. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
