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
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Recent Examples of defeats
Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Narrow defeats to a rejuvenated Milan and reigning champions Napoli were far easier to swallow, and a victory in Sardinia would have seen Roma stay within a point of the leading duo.
—Jack Bantock, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025
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
If Michigan defeats the Buckeyes and either Indiana or Oregon loses, Moore's team would be in the Big Ten title game.
—Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
If top-seeded SDFC defeats fourth-seed Minnesota and the weather cooperates, the party would attract more would-be revelers for a homefield match against LAFC or Vancouver with an MLS Cup berth on the line.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Nov. 2025
Multi-platinum artist Phil Wickham headlines the film with actor, dancer, and singer Brandon Engman as young David, the biblical shepherd boy who defeats Goliath and inspires his nation.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 13 Nov. 2025
Haynes defeats Hall in District 2 Shamaiye Haynes maintained a sizable lead over Juanrique Hall in District 2, which covers uptown and west Charlotte.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2025
Cam Inman, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
The loss was Milwaukee’s fourth in the last five games, with three of those defeats coming by double-figures.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
All of the defeats for Hogan (28-4) this winter have come against Class 3A wrestlers.
—Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Since 2020, four of the Bills’ postseason defeats have come at the hands of the Chiefs.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 19 Jan. 2026
While the team had been exploited in transition in the previous three defeats, Stokic still believes transition is a strength of his team.
—Nathan Dunn, Kansas City Star, 19 Jan. 2026
That Tampa Bay team lost back-to-back games just twice in the regular season, and one set included defeats in overtime and a shootout.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 17 Jan. 2026
LaFleur has guided the Packers to six playoff appearances during his tenure — two NFC Championship Game appearances in 2019 and 2020, two losses in the divisional round in 2021 and 2023 and two wild-card round defeats in 2024 and 2025.
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Conditions were only made worse by recent military defeats, crippling sanctions, corruption, and an unparalleled water crisis.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
Richard Raffalow Valley Glen Navy defeats Cincinnati 35-13 in the Liberty Bowl and is ranked 22 in the latest AP poll.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2026
Narrow defeats to a rejuvenated Milan and reigning champions Napoli were far easier to swallow, and a victory in Sardinia would have seen Roma stay within a point of the leading duo.
—Jack Bantock, New York Times, 12 Dec. 2025
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
If Michigan defeats the Buckeyes and either Indiana or Oregon loses, Moore's team would be in the Big Ten title game.
—Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Nov. 2025
If top-seeded SDFC defeats fourth-seed Minnesota and the weather cooperates, the party would attract more would-be revelers for a homefield match against LAFC or Vancouver with an MLS Cup berth on the line.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Nov. 2025
Multi-platinum artist Phil Wickham headlines the film with actor, dancer, and singer Brandon Engman as young David, the biblical shepherd boy who defeats Goliath and inspires his nation.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 13 Nov. 2025
Haynes defeats Hall in District 2 Shamaiye Haynes maintained a sizable lead over Juanrique Hall in District 2, which covers uptown and west Charlotte.
—Rebecca Noel, Charlotte Observer, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
Their six defeats were no-doubters, and none came in back-to-back fashion.
—Cam Inman, Mercury News, 23 Jan. 2026
The loss was Milwaukee’s fourth in the last five games, with three of those defeats coming by double-figures.
—Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 22 Jan. 2026
All of the defeats for Hogan (28-4) this winter have come against Class 3A wrestlers.
—Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 22 Jan. 2026
Since 2020, four of the Bills’ postseason defeats have come at the hands of the Chiefs.
—Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 19 Jan. 2026
While the team had been exploited in transition in the previous three defeats, Stokic still believes transition is a strength of his team.
—Nathan Dunn, Kansas City Star, 19 Jan. 2026
That Tampa Bay team lost back-to-back games just twice in the regular season, and one set included defeats in overtime and a shootout.
—Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 17 Jan. 2026
LaFleur has guided the Packers to six playoff appearances during his tenure — two NFC Championship Game appearances in 2019 and 2020, two losses in the divisional round in 2021 and 2023 and two wild-card round defeats in 2024 and 2025.
—Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 11 Jan. 2026
Conditions were only made worse by recent military defeats, crippling sanctions, corruption, and an unparalleled water crisis.
—Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defeats
Verb
-
Auburn overcomes a 14-point deficit in the first half and race past the Longhorns behind 31 points from Keyshawn Hall.—
Thomas Jones,
Austin American Statesman,
28 Jan. 2026
-
By placing wind turbines in the air, this overcomes land use pressures and also makes the technology more flexible for places like cities.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
At one point in the season, Pitt was 7-2 and won their first five games with true freshman Mason Heintschel at quarterback, who took over for Eli Holstein after back-to-back losses early in the year against West Virginia and Louisville.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Bitcoin prices dropped over the weekend, declining to their lowest point of the year as multiple bearish factors combined to drive losses.—
Charles Lloyd Bovaird II,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The plethora of fourth-quarter collapses offers refuting evidence.—
Sam McDowell
January 27,
Kansas City Star,
27 Jan. 2026
-
When software can be created, modified, and extended through natural language, the cost of variety collapses.—
John Sviokla,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Stylist Chrissy Rasmussen masters the layered medium-length look on clients.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
20 Dec. 2025
-
Bette Davis masters a rare light comedy turn as Sherry's long-suffering secretary, with Jimmy Durante as a visitor from Broadway and Wizard of Oz (1939) good witch Billie Burke as the overwhelmed matriarch of the Stanley clan.—
Gwen Ihnat,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
After back-to-back campaigns filled with setbacks, Scott re-signed with the Panthers on a 1-year deal this offseason.—
Mike Kaye
January 8,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Backups Jaylon Moore and Wanya Morris suffered setbacks in subsequent weeks, pushing the Chiefs down to their last options at tackle on the depth chart.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
That last-minute development is reviving debate about the extent of state support for Vanke, one of the last major developers to have avoided an outright default after a broader property market slump sparked record debt failures in recent years.—
Bloomberg News,
Bloomberg,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Studies show that hot spots cause 22 percent of PV module failures within just three years of operation.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
After a long day, nothing beats sipping it neat, appreciating the craftsmanship and the layers of flavor.—
Noel Burgess,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
-
This helps regulate how the heart beats.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The morality police patrol streets and other public areas looking for violators, who face arrest, fines, beatings, or detention.—
Agustina Vergara Cid,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Salaam recalls violent confrontations — tear gas, beatings and even police motorcycles driven into crowds.—
Wakisha Bailey,
CBS News,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defeats.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defeats. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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