# defeat vs demean

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### defeat
*verb · IPA /dɪˈfiːt/ · frequency rank #2,939*
To overcome in battle or contest.

### demean
*verb · IPA /dɪˈmiːn/ · frequency rank #48,179*
To debase; to lower; to degrade.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/defeat-vs-demean