Meaning 1neutral · 82%
To win against an opponent in a contest or conflict.
Natural examples
Die Mannschaft besiegte den Tabellenführer mit 2:1.
The team defeated the league leaders two to one.
Im Schach besiegte sie ihren Bruder zum ersten Mal.
She beat her brother at chess for the first time.
Die kleine Firma besiegte im Wettbewerb größere Konkurrenten.
The small firm beat larger rivals in the competition.
Usage note
Besiegen takes the opponent in accusative. Schlagen is also common in sports and games.
Mini-lesson: besiegen
To win against an opponent in a contest or conflict. Besiegen takes the opponent in accusative. Schlagen is also common in sports and games.
Check your learning
Choose one answer.Which definition matches «besiegen»?