How to pronounce defeat
Say it like dih-FEET. Defeat has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FEET).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce defeat. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- dih
- FEET
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Defeat pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- dihKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- FEETSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
American vs British pronunciation of defeat
American and British speakers say defeat in essentially the same way: /dɪˈfit/ in the US and /dɪˈfiːt/ in the UK.
British respelling: dih-FEET.
What does defeat mean?
- an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest“it was a narrow defeat”“the army's only defeat”
- the feeling that accompanies an experience of being thwarted in attaining your goals
- win a victory over“You must overcome all difficulties”“defeat your enemies”
- thwart the passage of“kill a motion”“he shot down the student's proposal”
Where does defeat come from?
From Middle English defeten, from Middle English defet (“disfigured”, past participle) and defet (“defect”, noun), see Etymology 2 below.
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with defeat
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of defeat.
Questions about saying defeat
How do you pronounce defeat?
Say dih-FEET. The American pronunciation is /dɪˈfit/. In British English it is /dɪˈfiːt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in defeat?
Defeat has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (FEET). Broken into parts: dih · FEET.
Do Americans and Brits say defeat the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /dɪˈfit/ and the British form is /dɪˈfiːt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.