Collocations for "defeat"
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word "defeat" in context.
WordReference English Collocations © 2025
defeat
ⓘMost examples are given in US English. We have labeled exceptions as UK.n
- was [an important, a crushing, a devastating] defeat
- a military defeat
- suffered a defeat (at)
- the defeat at [Stalingrad]
- the defeat in [Vietnam]
- the defeat of [Germany]
- a defeat on the [battlefield, ground]
- a defeat at the [polls, elections]
- a defeat at the hands of (the local rival)
- a defeat for [the former president, the congressman]
- [America's] defeat
- [victory, success] or defeat
- defeat and [death, humiliation, capture]
- [admit, accept] defeat
- a [football, soccer] defeat
- [a home, an away] defeat
- their defeat by [England]
- their defeat on [Saturday]
- went [away, home] with a defeat
- [four] defeats in [a row, four games]
- a record of [30] wins and [two] defeats
- staring in the eyes of defeat
- defeat the enemy
- defeated in [Vietnam, the war]
- defeated in [battle, combat]
- defeated at [home, Stalingrad]
- defeated at [chess, basketball]
- defeated by [Germany, the opposing team]
- defeated on [Sunday]
- [crushingly, resoundingly, woefully] defeated
- defeated [cancer, depression, the illness]
- defeat [racism, poverty, hunger]
- together, we can defeat [terrorism, racism]
- [able to, cannot, hoping to] defeat
- defeated at the [polls, voting stations, ballot boxes]
- defeated for reelection
'defeat' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Welsh
- absolute
- admit
- ambitious
- anguish
- blame
- bounce
- can
- cunning
- disappointing
- enemy
- foe
- grace
- graceful
- gut
- humble
- jaw
- joint
- menace
- misery
- needless
- offensive
- outright
- overwhelming
- positive
- predict
- reconcile
- retreat
- rising
- risk
- shake
- shock
- significant
- smart
- snatch
- soldier
- somewhat
- sore
- starve
- stench
- sting
- stink
- sworn
- total
- trumpet
- upbeat
- wound