| Main Entry: | defeat |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | overthrow, beating |
Synonyms: |
KO, ambush, annihilation, beating, blow, break, breakdown, check, collapse, conquest, count, debacle, defeasance, destruction, discomfiture, downthrow, drubbing, embarrassment, extermination, failure, fall, insuccess, killing*, lacing, licking, loss, massacre, mastery, nonsuccess, paddling, rebuff, repulse, reverse, rout, ruin, scalping, setback, shellacking, slaughter, subjugation, thrashing, trap, trashing, trimming, triumph, trouncing, vanquishment, waxing, whaling, whipping, whitewashing |
| Notes: | decimate means to kill or destroy in large numbers; defeat means to win a victory over or to beat |
Antonyms: |
conquest, success, triumph, victory, win |
| Main Entry: | defeat |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | frustration |
Synonyms: |
disappointment, discomfiture, downfall, failure, foil, loss, rebuff, repulse, reversal, reverse, setback, thwarting |
Antonyms: |
attainment, mastery, success, triumph |
| Main Entry: | defeat |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | conquer in military manner |
Synonyms: |
ambush, annihilate, bar, bear down, beat, best, block, butcher, crush, decimate, demolish, discomfit, drown, entrap, finish off, halt, hinder, impede, lick, mow down, obliterate, obstruct, outflank, outmaneuver, overpower, overrun, overthrow, overwhelm, parry, prevail over, quell, reduce, repel, repress, repulse, roll back, rout, route, sack, scatter, shipwreck, sink, slaughter, smash, subdue, subjugate, suppress, surmount, swamp, torpedo, trample, trash, upset, vanquish, whip, wipe out |
Antonyms: |
give up, lose, surrender |
| Main Entry: | defeat |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | conquer in athletic contest |
Synonyms: |
KO, beat, bust, clobber, cream*, deck, drop*, drub, edge, flax, flog, floor*, knock out, lambaste*, lick, outhit, outjump, outplay, outrun, overpower, plow under, pommel, pound*, powder, pulverize, run roughshod over, skin*, steamroll, take, take it all, take to cleaners, tan*, thrash, total, trounce, wallop, whack, whomp, win, work over, zap |
Antonyms: |
give up, lose, surrender |
| Main Entry: | defeat |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | frustrate |
Synonyms: |
baffle, balk, beat down, beat the system, blank, block, bury, cast down, cause setback, checkmate, circumvent, confound, contravene, cook*, counterplot, cross, disappoint, discomfit, disconcert, disprove, edge out, foil, invalidate, neutralize, nonplus, nose out, nullify, outwit, overturn, put end to, puzzle, quell, reduce, refute, ruin, scuttle, shave, shellac, skunk, spoil, squash, stump, subdue, subjugate, surmount, take wind out of sails, throw for loop, thwart, undo, victimize |
Antonyms: |
abet, aid, encourage, help, inspirit |
| Main Entry: | baffle |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | hinder |
Synonyms: |
beat, block, check, circumvent, dash, defeat, disappoint, foil, frustrate, impede, obstruct, prevent, ruin, thwart, upset |
Antonyms: |
abet, aid, assist, encourage, help, relieve, support |
| Main Entry: | balk |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | thwart |
Synonyms: |
baffle, bar, beat, check, circumvent, counteract, cramp, cramp one's style, dash, defeat, disappoint, disconcert, foil, forestall, frustrate, hinder, obstruct, prevent, ruin, stall, stop, throw a curve, throw monkey wrench in, upset the apple cart |
Antonyms: |
aid, help, make easier |
| Main Entry: | cheat |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | frustrate, thwart |
Synonyms: |
baffle, check, defeat, deprive, foil, prevent |
| Main Entry: | comedown |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | letdown, blow |
Synonyms: |
anticlimax, blow, collapse, comeuppance, crash, cropper, decline, defeat, deflation, demotion, descent, disappointment, discomfiture, dive, down, downfall, failure, fall, flop, humiliation, pratfall, reverse, ruin, setback, undoing, wreck |
Antonyms: |
ascent, boon, boost, fortune, promotion |
| Main Entry: | confute |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | disprove, refute |
Synonyms: |
blow sky high, break, bring to naught, confound, contradict, controvert, defeat, demolish, dismay, disprove, expose, invalidate, knocks props out from under, negate, oppugn, overcome, overthrow, overturn, overwhelm, parry, prove false, prove wrong, put down, rebut, set aside, shut up, silence, subvert, tap, upset, vanquish |
| Notes: | refute means 'to show conclusively to be false or illogical' and applies primarily to assertions or arguments; confute means 'to prove wrong' and applies primarily to the person or agency making the assertion or argument |
Antonyms: |
affirm, attest, confirm, endorse, prove, verify |