defeat

UK: dɪˈfiːt | US: dɪˈfiːt

Definition
  1. vt. to overcome in a competition or conflict

  2. n. the act of losing a game, battle, or election

  3. n. a failure to achieve a goal

Structure
de <undo>feat <achievement>
Etymology

The word "defeat" originated from Old French defait, the past participle of defaire ("to undo"), which combined the Latin prefix de- (undoing) with facere (to do). Over time, it evolved to mean "to reverse an achievement," eventually settling into its modern sense of overcoming an opponent or suffering loss. The logic reflects a literal "undoing of success."

Examples
  1. The army managed to defeat the invaders after a long battle.

  2. She refused to accept defeat and trained harder for the next competition.

  3. The bill’s defeat in Congress surprised many analysts.

  4. His overconfidence led to his eventual defeat.

  5. The team’s defeat was a disappointment to their fans.