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Reject vs Defeat - What's the difference?

reject | defeat |

In lang=en terms the difference between reject and defeat

is that reject is to refuse to accept while defeat is to reduce, to nothing, the strength of.

As verbs the difference between reject and defeat

is that reject is to refuse to accept while defeat is to overcome in battle or contest.

As nouns the difference between reject and defeat

is that reject is something that is rejected while defeat is the act of defeating or being defeated.

reject

English

(wikipedia reject)

Verb

(en verb)
  • To refuse to accept.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=4 , passage=One morning I had been driven to the precarious refuge afforded by the steps of the inn, after rejecting offers from the Celebrity to join him in a variety of amusements. But even here I was not free from interruption, for he was seated on a horse-block below me, playing with a fox terrier.}}
  • (basketball) To block a shot, especially if it sends the ball off the court.

    • Synonyms

    * (refuse to accept) decline, refuse, turn down, repudiate, disown, abnegate, abjure, deny

    Antonyms

    * (refuse to accept) accept, take up

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Something that is rejected.
  • An unpopular person.

    • Synonyms

    * (something that is rejected) castaway * (an unpopular person) outcast, castaway, alien

    Related terms

    * rejection English heteronyms

    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.}}