as in hopeless
emphasizing or expecting the worst
your defeatist attitude is depressing everyone else on the team!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in realist
one who emphasizes bad aspects or conditions and expects the worst
we told her that if she was going to be such a defeatist, she should keep her thoughts to herself
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of defeatist
Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 11 May 2026
This defeatist thinking is misguided and assumes action will be futile.
—Jim Costa, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
Job seekers can game this defeatist death-spiral by recalculating their measure of success.
—Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 22 Nov. 2025
China’s internet regulators have launched a campaign targeting online content that promotes negativity, pessimism, or defeatist attitudes and are urging netizens to report posts that violate these new standards.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
The prime minister’s far-right political allies, on the other hand, have accused the chief of staff of leading a weak and defeatist approach that is preventing victory over Hamas, the officials said.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
Nik Popli, Time, 29 Apr. 2026
Now there is a British tendency to be slightly defeatist.
—Liam Tharme, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
The mood just feels a little defeatist right now.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
This defeatist sentiment is wrong and dangerous.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 11 May 2026
This defeatist thinking is misguided and assumes action will be futile.
—Jim Costa, Mercury News, 17 Feb. 2026
Job seekers can game this defeatist death-spiral by recalculating their measure of success.
—Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 22 Nov. 2025
China’s internet regulators have launched a campaign targeting online content that promotes negativity, pessimism, or defeatist attitudes and are urging netizens to report posts that violate these new standards.
—Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Sep. 2025
The prime minister’s far-right political allies, on the other hand, have accused the chief of staff of leading a weak and defeatist approach that is preventing victory over Hamas, the officials said.
—Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
Hegseth largely declined to provide specifics, instead denouncing critics as defeatists, questioning their patriotism and insisting the mission had broad public support.
—Nik Popli, Time, 29 Apr. 2026
Now there is a British tendency to be slightly defeatist.
—Liam Tharme, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
The mood just feels a little defeatist right now.
—Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defeatist
Adjective
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That reality makes the climb for promising teams like the Magic feel almost hopeless.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
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To Some New Island Guests With a competitive streak a mile wide, Penny (Roorbach) is charming, popular, and a hopeless romantic – for now, anyway.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
7 May 2026
Noun
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At her core, Hepburn was a child of war who identified with Anne Frank—a realist who faced the problems of the world head-on as a UNICEF goodwill ambassador.—
Hadley Hall Meares,
Vanity Fair,
15 May 2026
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The character is described as playful but also a realist who’s well aware of society’s unspoken rules.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Governor Gavin Newsom's office defended the framework, calling protests against Hernandez a cynical attempt to weaponize the debate.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
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In season three, this argument has largely taken a cynical, nihilistic turn.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
18 May 2026
Noun
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Of course, cynics would say this is an easy way to get laughs, but Galifianakis’ quick wit ensures the unfiltered youngsters don’t always take center stage.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
22 Apr. 2026
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The cynics are figures like Sam Bankman-Fried, who built a fortune off of a crypto exchange called FTX, which crashed and burned in the fall of 2022, eventually sending Bankman-Fried to prison for fraud.—
Jack Crosbie,
Rolling Stone,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Gallup’s 2025 poll was the first time the organization found younger Americans to be more pessimistic than people in other countries about job prospects, and that trend looks primed to continue.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
13 May 2026
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More than 60% of the class of 2026 are pessimistic about their career prospects, according to a recent report from Handshake.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
Noun
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That is a hard thing to live with—but, the pessimist would answer, who thought life was supposed to be easy?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
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As late as August 2007, the Federal Reserve was skeptical of such bubble talk, while Grantham was dismissed as a pessimist, a dismissal that soon proved mistaken.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defeatist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defeatist. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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