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Defeat vs Degrade - What's the difference?

defeat | degrade |

As verbs the difference between defeat and degrade

is that defeat is to overcome in battle or contest while degrade is .

As a noun defeat

is the act of defeating or being defeated.

defeat

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • To overcome in battle or contest.
    • Wellington defeated Napoleon at Waterloo.
  • To reduce, to nothing, the strength of.
  • * Tillotson
    • He finds himself naturally to dread a superior Being that can defeat all his designs, and disappoint all his hopes.
  • * A. W. Ward
    • In one instance he defeated his own purpose.
  • To nullify
  • * Hallam
    • The escheators defeated the right heir of his succession.

    Synonyms

    (To overcome in contest) * beat * conquer * overthrow * rout * vanquish

    Related terms

    * defeasance * defeasible * defeater * defeatism * defeatist * defeature

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of defeating or being defeated.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2012 , date=May 13 , author=Alistair Magowan , title=Sunderland 0-1 Man Utd , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Two defeats in five games coming into this contest, and a draw with Everton, ultimately cost Sir Alex Ferguson's side in what became the most extraordinary finale to the league championship since Arsenal beat Liverpool at Anfield in 1989.}}

    degrade

    English

    Verb

    (degrad)
  • To lower in value or social position.
    • Fred degrades himself by his behaviour.
  • * Palfrey
    • Prynne was sentenced by the Star Chamber Court to be degraded from the bar.
  • To reduce in quality or purity.
    • The DNA sample has degraded .
  • (geology) To reduce in altitude or magnitude, as hills and mountains; to wear down.

    • Derived terms

    * degradation