defeat

/di-ˈfēt/

Middle English defeten, defaiten "to ruin, destroy, nullify," in part verbal derivative of defet "disfigured, null and void (in law)," borrowed from Anglo-French defait, defet, desfet, past participle of defaire, desfaire "to undo, put an end to, destroy, nullify," from de-, des- de-faire "to do, make," going back to Latin facere; in part borrowed from Anglo-French defeter, derivative of defet

verb

  1. to win victory over : beat

  2. frustrate

  3. nullify

defeated their archrivals in the championship game

conquer vanquish defeat subdue reduce overcome overthrow mean to get the better of by force or strategy. conquer implies gaining mastery of. vanquish implies a complete overpowering.

noun

  1. frustration by nullification or by prevention of success

  2. an overthrow especially of an army in battle

  3. the loss of a contest

The bill suffered defeat in the Senate.

idiom

  1. to make (something) pointless

It would defeat the purpose of having a nice car if you never got to drive it.