close defeat

USAGE SUMMARY

"close defeat" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you're referring to an event or occurrence that was nearly won, but in the end, lost. For example, "The team suffered a close defeat in the championship match."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

Brown's race might actually end in triumph, rather than a close defeat.

The New York Times

The bill has suffered a close defeat, just 21 votes to 19.

The Guardian

The conversion by a Worcester old boy, Andy Goode, meant another close defeat and a visit to Kingston Park that will be crucial.

The Guardian - Sport

Citing the close defeat in the final game last year, Casey added: "That has fueled us coming into this season and has made us aware of needing to finish.

The New York Times - Sports

Well, at the end of the night on Saturday, once we had crested that peak and saw the view, Bradley's hand was held up in victory while Márquez was left disputing another close defeat in his storied career.

The Guardian - Sport

Leinster, whose squad contained 14 players involved in Ireland's close defeat by the All Blacks a fortnight ago, are unbeaten in their last 10 matches against English sides.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

There were four other trips to the N.C.A.A. championship game that resulted in close defeats.

The New York Times - Sports

Whatever he has done to revive his career, Márquez not only wiped away the memory of two close defeats and a draw against Pacquiao, he could fairly claim overall dominance because of the manner of his win.

The Guardian - Sport

Albion boss Nat Saumi says he hopes Cusack's kicking ability can help the club turn around their recent run of close defeats.

BBC

For all his success, two of Smith's highest-profile races resulted in achingly close defeats.

Los Angeles Times

In the last two times that the NY Giants won the Super Bowl, they had posted respectively tantalizingly close defeats to the New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers during the regular season.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "close defeat", ensure that the context clearly indicates the narrow margin by which the loss occurred. For example, specify the score difference or the stage of the competition when the defeat happened to emphasize the closeness of the outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "close defeat" to describe a situation where the loss was significant or decisive. This phrase is best suited for scenarios where the outcome could easily have been different, and the margin of victory was small.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "close defeat" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as an object or complement in a sentence. As seen in Ludwig, it describes a specific type of loss, one characterized by a small margin or near victory. The Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Wiki

13%

Science

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "close defeat" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It functions as a noun phrase, describing a loss that was nearly a victory. While not extremely common, the phrase appears frequently in news and media contexts, conveying the small margin by which a loss occurred. Alternatives like "narrow loss" or "near miss" can be used depending on the desired nuance. When using "close defeat", ensure the context clearly indicates the small margin of loss and avoid using it for significant or decisive defeats. Ludwig examples showcase its correct application in various real-world scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

narrow loss

Emphasizes the small margin by which the defeat occurred.

near miss

Highlights the proximity to success or avoiding failure.

last-minute loss

Focuses on the timing of the defeat, suggesting it happened very late in the game or process.

suffer a narrow defeat

Adds a verb to describe the experience of the defeat, focusing on the negative aspect.

edge-of-the-seat loss

Conveys the suspense and excitement associated with the close nature of the defeat.

come up short

An idiomatic expression indicating failure to achieve a goal by a small margin.

almost win

Highlights the fact that the victory was very close, but didn't happen.

agonizing defeat

Emphasizes the emotional pain associated with losing by a small margin.

brush with defeat

Highlights the proximity to failure.

hair's breadth loss

Uses vivid imagery to convey the extremely small margin of defeat.

FAQs

How can I use "close defeat" in a sentence?

You can use "close defeat" to describe a situation where someone or something lost by a narrow margin. For example, "The team suffered a "close defeat" in the final game of the season".

What are some alternatives to saying "close defeat"?

Alternatives to "close defeat" include "narrow loss", "near miss", or "last-minute loss", depending on the specific context.

Is it more appropriate to say "narrow defeat" or "close defeat"?

"Narrow defeat" and "close defeat" are often interchangeable, but "close defeat" might better convey a sense of tension or suspense in the lead-up to the loss, while "narrow defeat" emphasizes the small numerical difference.

What does it mean when someone experiences a "brush with defeat"?

A "brush with defeat" means that someone or something came very close to losing or failing, but ultimately avoided that outcome. This suggests a situation of near-failure rather than an actual "close defeat".