Waterloo

American  

[waw-ter-loo, wot-er-, waw-ter-loo, wot-er-, vah-tuhr-loh] / ˈwɔ tərˌlu, ˈwɒt ər-, ˌwɔ tərˈlu, ˌwɒt ər-, ˈvɑ tərˌloʊ /

noun

1. a village in central Belgium, south of Brussels: Napoleon decisively defeated here on June 18, 1815.

2. a decisive or crushing defeat.

   The candidate met her Waterloo in the national elections.

3. a city in E Iowa.

4. a city in SE Ontario, in S Canada.

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Waterloo British  

/ ˌwɔːtəˈluː /

noun

1. a small town in central Belgium, in Walloon Brabant province south of Brussels: battle (1815) fought nearby in which British and Prussian forces under the Duke of Wellington and Blücher routed the French under Napoleon. Pop: 29 003 (2004 est)

2. a total or crushing defeat (esp in meet one's Waterloo )

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Waterloo Idioms  

1. see meet one's waterloo.

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Example Sentences

Elsewhere on the railway, there will be a reduced service between London Waterloo and Clapham Junction due to the renewal of switches and crossings.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2026

Scientists at the University of Waterloo have proposed a new way to explain how the universe began, offering a fresh perspective on the Big Bang and its earliest moments.

From Science Daily • Mar. 30, 2026

Studying an engineering degree at the University of Waterloo in her native Canada, Sullivan began watching the show with her sister in 2021.

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

“We have two major criteria when we look at climate reliability,” said Daniel Scott, a professor of environment at Waterloo and the chief author of the report.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 6, 2026

But finally, at seventy-six, there loomed on Amarante’s horizon a Waterloo.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols