When it comes to describing a close victory, "barely defeat" is certainly a phrase that comes to mind. However, there are many other synonyms that can be used to convey the same concept. For example, you could say that someone "narrowly won" or "edged out" their opponent. Other options might include "scraped by," "clinched," or "pulled out a win." Each of these phrases captures the idea that the victory was hard-fought and perhaps came right down to the wire. So the next time you want to describe a close call, consider using one of these synonyms to mix up your vocabulary!