waterloo
noun
wa·ter·loo
ˌwȯ-tər-ˈlü 
ˌwä-
plural waterloos
often capitalized
: a decisive or final defeat or setback
a political waterloo
Examples of waterloo in a Sentence
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The waterloo arrived in 1930, with the Smoot-Hawley tariff.
—
Jay Cost, National Review, 14 June 2019
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Jay Cost, National Review, 14 June 2019
Cite this Entry
“Waterloo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/waterloo. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationGeographical Definition
Waterloo
geographical name
Wa·ter·loo
ˌwȯ-tər-ˈlü
ˌwä-;
ˈwȯ-tər-ˌlü,
ˈwä-
1
city in northeast central Iowa northwest of Cedar Rapids population 68,406
2
town in central Belgium south of Brussels population 28,898
Note: In June 1815, a battle near Waterloo resulted in the decisive defeat of French Emperor Napoléon I.
3
city in southeastern Ontario, Canada, west of Kitchener population 98,780
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