--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Defeat is a momentary thing. A defeat…" description: "\"“Defeat is a momentary thing. A defeat doesn't last. We were defeated and now we attack. Defeat means nothing. Can't you understand that? Do you know w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/john-steinbeck-71_defeat_defeat-is-a-momentary-thing-a-defeat-doe_523333.jpg" --- # Defeat is a momentary thing. A defeat doesn't last. We… ![“Defeat is a momentary thing. A defeat doesn't last. We were defeated and now we attack. Defeat means nothing. Can't you understand that? Do you know what they are whispering behind doors?” quote by John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/john-steinbeck-71_defeat_defeat-is-a-momentary-thing-a-defeat-doe_523333.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/john-steinbeck-71_defeat_defeat-is-a-momentary-thing-a-defeat-doe_523333.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a83/john-steinbeck-71_defeat_defeat-is-a-momentary-thing-a-defeat-doe_523333.jpg) > ““Defeat is a momentary thing. A defeat doesn't last. We were defeated and now we attack. Defeat means nothing. Can't you understand that? Do you know what they are whispering behind doors?”” [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Defeat is temporary and insignificant; it should not define us, and we must respond with action rather than lingering on loss. **In simple terms:** Defeat is fleeting; act instead. Key Takeaway Do not let loss dictate your next move. Themes resilience action mindset Mood determined hopeful Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal setbacks - team failures - social movements - conflict resolution Key Concepts impermanence psychology motivation Questions to Reflect On - What does defeat teach you? - How can you turn loss into motivation? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on optimism may ignore genuine grief. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) ## Related quotes > [Defeat is always momentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-jackson/defeat-is-always-momentary/) [Peter Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-jackson/) > [“Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat for it is momentary." ( Satyagraha Leaflet No. 13 , 3 May 1919)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/victory-attained-by-violence-is-tantamount-to-a-defeat-for-it-is-2/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Victory attained by violence is tantamount to a defeat, for it is a momentary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/victory-attained-by-violence-is-tantamount-to-a-defeat-for-it-is-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you don't invest very much, then defeat doesn't hurt very much and winning is not very exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-vermeil/if-you-don-t-invest-very-much-then-defeat-doesn-t-hurt-very-much-and/) [Dick Vermeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-vermeil/) > [Defeat doesn't finish a man - quit does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/defeat-doesn-t-finish-a-man-quit-does/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Defeat doesn't finish a man, quit does. A man is not finished when he's defeated. He's finished when he quits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-m-nixon/defeat-doesn-t-finish-a-man-quit-does-a-man-is-not-finished-when-he-s/) [Richard M. Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-m-nixon/) > [Forget about the defeat,what doesn't kill you makes you stronger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forget-about-the-defeat-what-doesn-t-kill-you-makes-you-stronger/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Defeat doesn't finish a man, quitting does. A man is not finished when he's defeated. He's finished when he quits.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-milhous-nixon/defeat-doesn-t-finish-a-man-quitting-does-a-man-is-not-finished-when/) Richard Milhous Nixon > [“Life is but life, and death but death! Bliss is but bliss, and breath but breath! And if, indeed, I fail, At least to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/life-is-but-life-and-death-but-death-bliss-is-but-bliss-and-breath-2/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [I don't like to lose, and that isn't so much because it is just a football game, but because defeat means the failure to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/knute-rockne/i-don-t-like-to-lose-and-that-isn-t-so-much-because-it-is-just-a/) [Knute Rockne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/knute-rockne/) > [“And if, indeed, I fail, At least to know the worst is sweet. Defeat means nothing but defeat, No drearier can prevail!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/and-if-indeed-i-fail-at-least-to-know-the-worst-is-sweet-defeat-means/) [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) > [“With France as she is, poor and unarmed, war means defeat. Defeat means either a military dictator who will salvage what he can and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-mantel/with-france-as-she-is-poor-and-unarmed-war-means-defeat-defeat-means/) [Hilary Mantel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-mantel/) > [There are no contests in the Art of Peace. A true warrior is invincible because he or she contests with nothing. Defeat means to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/there-are-no-contests-in-the-art-of-peace-a-true-warrior-is/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) > [What is a defeat? It is just a good opportunity to make a new start, nothing else! Defeat is by no means a tragedy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/what-is-a-defeat-it-is-just-a-good-opportunity-to-make-a-new-start/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [What is defeat in life? It is not merely making a mistake; defeat means giving up on yourself in the midst of difficulty. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daisaku-ikeda/what-is-defeat-in-life-it-is-not-merely-making-a-mistake-defeat-means/) [Daisaku Ikeda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daisaku-ikeda/) ## More by John Steinbeck > [ Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit. My three \[great teachers\] did not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/teaching-might-even-be-the-greatest-of-the-arts-since-the-medium-is/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Prayer never brought in no side-meat. Takes a shoat to bring in pork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/prayer-never-brought-in-no-side-meat-takes-a-shoat-to-bring-in-pork/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“And now submarines are armed with mass murder, our silly, only way of deterring mass murder.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/and-now-submarines-are-armed-with-mass-murder-our-silly-only-way-of/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“He was forever inventing a new way of doing an old thing and doing it better and quicker, but he never in his whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/he-was-forever-inventing-a-new-way-of-doing-an-old-thing-and-doing-it/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“You come back a changed man. Samuel, you don’t change him. He changes you. I can see the look of him in your face.”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/you-come-back-a-changed-man-samuel-you-don-t-change-him-he-changes/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I find out of long experience that I admire all nations and hate all governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-find-out-of-long-experience-that-i-admire-all-nations-and-hate-all/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [At about 10 o'clock in the morning the sun threw a bright dust-laden bar through one of the side windows and in and out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/at-about-10-o-clock-in-the-morning-the-sun-threw-a-bright-dust-laden/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Who in his mind has not probe the dark water?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/who-in-his-mind-has-not-probe-the-dark-water/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Sometimes, a lie is told in kindness. I don't believe it ever works kindly. The quick pain of truth can pass away, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/sometimes-a-lie-is-told-in-kindness-i-don-t-believe-it-ever-works/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [People like you to be something, preferably what they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/people-like-you-to-be-something-preferably-what-they-are/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [“Suddenly he knew joy and sorrow felted into one fabric. Courage and fear were one thing too. He found that he had started to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/suddenly-he-knew-joy-and-sorrow-felted-into-one-fabric-courage-and/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I am writing this from what we Americans call Yurrp. In Yurrp writers are taken as seriously as Lana Turner's legs are in America…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-am-writing-this-from-what-we-americans-call-yurrp-in-yurrp-writers/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [I write because I like to write. I find joy in the texture and tone and rhythm of words. It is a satisfaction like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-write-because-i-like-to-write-i-find-joy-in-the-texture-and-tone/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Explore all 1,589 John Steinbeck quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) ## More Defeat quotes > [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Even though you can't expect to defeat the absurdity of the world, you must make that attempt. That's morality, that's religion. That's art. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-ochs/even-though-you-can-t-expect-to-defeat-the-absurdity-of-the-world-you/) [Phil Ochs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-ochs/) > [The devil has been defeated, stop trying to defeat him. What we have left is the fight of faith, and it's a good fight!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/the-devil-has-been-defeated-stop-trying-to-defeat-him-what-we-have/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [If Pete’s (Sampras) child is a girl, my son will like her; if he’s a boy, my son will defeat him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-agassi/if-pete-s-sampras-child-is-a-girl-my-son-will-like-her-if-he-s-a-boy/) [Andre Agassi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-agassi/) > [All our efforts to defeat poverty and pursue sustainable development will be in vain if environmental degradation and natural resource depletion continue unabated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/all-our-efforts-to-defeat-poverty-and-pursue-sustainable-development/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [Defeat furnishes good material to the poets and the artists, but none of us care to have the glory of the conquered apply to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/defeat-furnishes-good-material-to-the-poets-and-the-artists-but-none/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [“We don't have to defeat any individual but our own self.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/we-don-t-have-to-defeat-any-individual-but-our-own-self/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [“Defeat is a disease, and victory is the cure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defeat-is-a-disease-and-victory-is-the-cure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The glow of victory and the harsh chill of defeat are two sides of the same coin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-lenartowicz/the-glow-of-victory-and-the-harsh-chill-of-defeat-are-two-sides-of/) Maria Lenartowicz > [After a big defeat, any player feels affected - it is about how long he needs to recover.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerardo-martino/after-a-big-defeat-any-player-feels-affected-it-is-about-how-long-he/) [Gerardo Martino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerardo-martino/) > [I have clearly said we faced terrorist enemies who use Islam to justify slaughtering innocent people and we have to stop them and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-have-clearly-said-we-faced-terrorist-enemies-who-use-islam-to/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory or defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gichin-funakoshi/the-ultimate-aim-of-karate-lies-not-in-victory-or-defeat-but-in-the/) [Gichin Funakoshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gichin-funakoshi/) > [It has never been more critical that a leader step forward to accelerate our understanding of cancer - and champion the effort to finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-j-dzau/it-has-never-been-more-critical-that-a-leader-step-forward-to/) Victor J. Dzau > [“It would seem no matter how progressive we get there are always those few who are backwards in their ways.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-nicole/it-would-seem-no-matter-how-progressive-we-get-there-are-always-those/) [Solange nicole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-nicole/) [Browse all 2,603 Defeat quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Defeat is a momentary thing. A defeat doesn't last. We were defeated and now we attack. Defeat means nothing. Can't you understand that? 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