defeat vs failure

defeat and failure both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
defeat	Yes	No	Yes	No
failure	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, failure is a hypernym of defeat; that is, failure is a word with a broader meaning than defeat:

Other hypernyms of defeat include conclusion, ending, finish.

defeat (noun)	failure (noun)
an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest	an act that fails
the feeling that accompanies an experience of being thwarted in attaining your goals	an unexpected omission
	an event that does not accomplish its intended purpose
	a person with a record of failing; someone who loses consistently
	lack of success
	loss of ability to function normally
	inability to discharge all your debts as they come due

defeat (verb)	failure (verb)
win a victory over
thwart the passage of