exactly defeated

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "exactly defeated" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward.
It could be used in contexts where you want to emphasize the precise nature of a defeat, but it is not a standard expression. Example: "The team was exactly defeated by a score of 3-0, leaving them with no chance to advance."

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Yet the Soviet army, the most recent, was not exactly defeated: it withdrew in 1989 because it had wearied of an unpopular war that it struggled to justify to the people at home.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

This doesn't exactly defeat the problem of American women still earning, on average, seventy-seven cents for every man's dollar.

The New Yorker

He emerged, after bouts of hepatitis, malaria and lost teeth, not exactly disillusioned but defeated, he recalled recently from the comfort of his study overlooking a garden of palms.

The New York Times

In 1945, Allied servicemen were forbidden to fraternise with the defeated Germans not exactly the relationship most were looking for when they went out of barracks.

The Economist

This kind of forgiveness from Kaleka, Michaelis told HuffPost, is exactly how hate is defeated.

Huffington Post

But it's also worth remembering that the defeat of the Confederacy involved exactly the defeat of the notion that the threat of insurrection was ever to be regarded as an acceptable political act.

The New Yorker

Kevin Owens held on to his Intercontinental Championship as he defeated Ryback in exactly the same circumstances as Night of Champions with an eye-rake setting Ryback up for the pop-up powerbomb.

Independent

Exactly 60 days after Mrs. Clinton defeated Mr. Pataki's preferred choice for the Senate, former Representative Rick A. Lazio, a Long Island Republican, Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Pataki emerged publicly, pledging to work together and making every attempt to signal that they are on good terms.

The New York Times

The half-empty view is that the election, if not exactly a defeat for Blair, was about as close as he could get without losing his job.

The New Yorker

By six o'clock on Saturday night, 115 matches between Six Nations teams and the big three - add Australia and South Africa to the world champions - since the 2007 World Cup had brought exactly 100 defeats for those in the north.

BBC

They may not have departed as legends exactly but nor did they depart defeated.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "exactly defeated", ensure that the context requires emphasis on the precision or completeness of the defeat. Otherwise, consider more common alternatives like "thoroughly defeated" or "completely defeated".

Common error

Avoid using "exactly defeated" in situations where a simple "defeated" or "thoroughly defeated" would suffice. Overusing it can make your writing sound unnatural or stilted. Reserve it for situations where the precision of the defeat is a key aspect of the message.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "exactly defeated" functions as an adverb-verb construction. It modifies the verb "defeated" to emphasize the precision or completeness of the defeat. As Ludwig points out, while grammatically sound, its usage is uncommon.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "exactly defeated" is a grammatically acceptable but uncommon expression used to emphasize the precision or completeness of a defeat. As Ludwig AI indicates, it might sound awkward and has more common alternatives like "thoroughly defeated" or "completely defeated". The phrase appears predominantly in News & Media contexts. When writing, consider whether the emphasis on precision is necessary; otherwise, opt for more standard phrasing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

precisely beaten

Replaces "defeated" with "beaten" and "exactly" with "precisely", emphasizing the accuracy of the defeat.

utterly vanquished

Uses stronger terms like "utterly" and "vanquished" to highlight the completeness of the defeat.

completely overcome

Emphasizes the thoroughness of being defeated, focusing on being "overcome".

thoroughly trounced

Replaces "defeated" with "trounced", suggesting a heavy and comprehensive defeat.

decisively conquered

Uses "conquered" to convey a sense of complete victory over the defeated party.

squarely beaten

Suggests a fair and undeniable defeat, implying no excuses can be made.

resoundingly defeated

Highlights the clear and unambiguous nature of the defeat.

definitively defeated

Focuses on the finality and conclusiveness of the defeat.

absolutely crushed

Emphasizes the extent of the defeat, using a more forceful term like "crushed".

unerringly beaten

Highlights the accuracy and inevitability of the defeat.

FAQs

What does "exactly defeated" mean?

The phrase "exactly defeated" means to be defeated in a precise or complete manner. However, it is not a commonly used phrase in English.

How can I use "exactly defeated" in a sentence?

While not common, you might use it to emphasize the specific nature of a defeat. For example: "The bill was "exactly defeated" by a single vote" to emphasize the narrow margin.

What are some alternatives to "exactly defeated"?

Alternatives include "thoroughly defeated", "completely defeated", or "decisively defeated", which are more common and natural-sounding.

Is "exactly defeated" grammatically correct?

The phrase isn't grammatically incorrect but sounds awkward and isn't frequently used. More common and natural alternatives exist that convey the same meaning.