crushing defeat
Humiliating, lopsided loss
A crushing defeat is a loss so complete and overwhelming that it destroys morale or eliminates any hope of recovery.
The image is of being physically crushed—flattened, unable to rise.
Used in sports, politics, and warfare: The team suffered a crushing defeat in the championship game.
The election was a crushing defeat for the incumbent party.
- devastatingCausing severe damage
- humiliatingCausing painful embarrassment
- total annihilationComplete and utter destruction
- blowoutSudden tire failure
- blown outExtinguished by air
landslide · massacre · shellacking · annihilation · trouncing · walloping · drubbing · slaughter · bloodbath · wipeout · obliteration · run over · steamrolled · dominated · no contest · not even close · embarrassing · lopsided
- competitioncompete, competitor, contender, winner, sports
- dominant winsblowout, landslide, rout, sweep, shutout
- Sports Resultswin, championship, first place, second place, victory
- war resultsvictory, surrender, truce, stalemate, peace treaty
- Beatdownsbeatdown, drubbing, thrashing, trouncing, blowout
- military tacticstactics, flanking, maneuver, ambush, battle formations
crushing defeatdecisive victory
Overwhelming win, clear outcome
landslide victory · total victory · rout · total domination · walkover
crushing defeatnarrow victory
Win by small margin
squeaker · photo finish · nail-biter · moral victory · draw
crushing, defeat, crush, crushes, crushed, crusher, crushers, defeats, defeated