defeat the purpose

verb

To undermine the act of doing something by having an opposite effect; to nullify.

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Meanings

verbdefeat the purpose (third-person singular simple present defeats the purpose, present participle defeating the purpose, simple past and past participle defeated the purpose)

present singular third person defeats the purpose · participle present defeating the purpose · participle past defeated the purpose · past defeated the purpose

  1. To undermine the act of doing something by having an opposite effect; to nullify.

Translations

Spanish frustrar / anular / socavar / nulificar el propósito
  • frustrar / anular / socavar / nulificar el propósitoto undermine the act of doing something by having an opposite effect; to nullify
Cite this entry
APA

defeat the purpose. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defeat%20the%20purpose

MLA

“defeat the purpose.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defeat%20the%20purpose. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “defeat the purpose,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/defeat%20the%20purpose.

Source: defeat the purpose on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.