destroy vs defeat

destroy is not a noun while defeat is a noun.

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

As verbs, defeat is a hypernym of destroy; that is, defeat is a word with a broader meaning than destroy:

Other hypernyms of destroy include get the better of, overcome.

destroy (noun)	defeat (noun)
	an unsuccessful ending to a struggle or contest
	the feeling that accompanies an experience of being thwarted in attaining your goals

destroy (verb)	defeat (verb)
defeat soundly and humiliatingly	win a victory over
destroy completely; damage irreparably	thwart the passage of
put (an animal) to death
do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of