make it vs defeat

make it is not a noun while defeat is a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
make it	No	No	Yes	No
defeat	Yes	No	Yes	No

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

Other hypernyms of make it include get the better of, overcome.

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

make it (verb)	defeat (verb)
succeed in a big way; get to the top	win a victory over
go successfully through a test or a selection process	thwart the passage of
continue in existence after (an adversity, etc.)