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Definition of waterloo

waterloo

/ˌwɑːtərˈluː/
wa · ter · loo
Plural:waterloos
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waterloo Lexical Profile

waterloo Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A decisive, crushing, or final defeat or setback, especially one that ends a period of prior success.

Example

"After years of dominating the market without competition, the tech giant finally met its Waterloo when a nimble startup released a vastly superior product."

2

A municipality in the province of Walloon Brabant, Belgium, famous as the site of the 1815 battle where Napoleon Bonaparte was finally defeated.

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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Word Nuance & Usage

Frequently encountered in the idiom 'to meet one's Waterloo,' meaning to face a final, insurmountable challenge. It is usually capitalized even when used metaphorically.

• Rhymes for waterloo

• Nearby Words

waterlog
waterlogged
waterlogging
waterloo
watermain
watermark
watermelon

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from the Battle of Waterloo (1815), where Napoleon Bonaparte suffered his final defeat. The Belgian town's name originates from Middle Dutch 'water' (water) and 'lo' (forest, clearing).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Waterloo. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/waterloo
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