besiegen
to defeat
To be stronger and win in a fight, competition, or game.
EXAMPLE
Es gelang der Heimmannschaft, den Tabellenführer klar mit 3:0 zu besiegen.
The home team managed to clearly defeat the league leader 3-0.
besiegen
to defeat
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Meanings
besiegen
to overcome
To successfully overcome a difficulty, an illness, or a negative feeling such as fear.
EXAMPLE
Nach langem Kampf konnte sie die schwere Krankheit besiegen.
After a long fight, she was able to overcome the serious illness.
Usage tips
Inseparable verb
“Besiegen” is an inseparable verb with the prefix “be-.” This prefix makes the verb transitive, so it always needs an accusative object (whom or what you defeat). The base verb “siegen” (to win/be victorious) is intransitive and is used without an object.
EXAMPLE
Die Mannschaft besiegte den Gegner im Finale.
The team defeated the opponent in the final.
Context clue
How can you recognize the meaning? If the object is a person, a team, or an opponent, it is about a competition. If the object is a feeling, an illness, or a problem, “besiegen” means “to overcome.”
EXAMPLE
Die Heldin besiegt den Drachen in der Geschichte.
The heroine defeats the dragon in the story.
Typical collocations
In a sports or combat context, “besiegen” is often used with the following nouns: “einen Gegner besiegen” (to defeat an opponent), “eine Mannschaft besiegen” (to defeat a team), or “einen Feind besiegen” (to defeat an enemy).
EXAMPLE
Unsere Schule hat die andere Schule im Fußballturnier besiegt.
Our school defeated the other school in the soccer tournament.
Typical collocations
When it is about overcoming difficulties, typical combinations are: “die Angst besiegen” (to overcome fear), “eine Krankheit besiegen” (to overcome an illness), or “seine Zweifel besiegen” (to overcome one's doubts).
EXAMPLE
Mit viel Disziplin hat er seine schlechten Gewohnheiten besiegt.
With a lot of discipline, he overcame his bad habits.
Compare with
besiegen vs gewinnen
to win / gain
When describing success against an opponent, both gewinnen and besiegen are possible, but their sentence structures differ. Gewinnen usually takes the competition or game as its object and mentions the opponent with gegen, while besiegen uses the opponent directly as its accusative object.
besiegen
Unsere Mannschaft besiegte den Nachbarverein im entscheidenden Spiel.
Our team defeated the neighboring club in the decisive game.
gewinnen
Unsere Mannschaft gewann das Spiel gegen den Nachbarverein.
Our team won the game against the neighboring club.
In real life
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