as in hopeless
emphasizing or expecting the worst
your defeatist attitude is depressing everyone else on the team!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defeatist
Adjective
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Needless to say, that sounds like a good fit for the rather hopeless Battlestar Galactica universe.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
20 Aug. 2025 -
You? Consider these numbers: 44% report feeling persistently hopeless.—
Todd Nordstrom,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Even John Mearsheimer, the leading realist voice on Ukraine, concedes these demands are non-negotiable—but deeply unacceptable to Kyiv and its allies.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Aug. 2025
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While optimistic about the future, Wilson is also a realist.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 June 2025
Adjective
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Yet this promising start devolved into a prime example of the sort of cynical assholery that today would be called a hot take, or even clickbait.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
25 Aug. 2025
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The second was even more cynical as it was designed to preserve the seats of all incumbents, not just Democrats, and succeeded in more than 99% of House elections.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Though cynics might be quick to dismiss the president’s words as empty political rhetoric, some industry leaders are applauding President Trump’s openness in publicly addressing rescheduling.—
Iris Dorbian,
Forbes.com,
12 Aug. 2025
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The evergreen revolving door of oddballs and cynics populating that Manhattan arraignment court in the wee hours of the night and at the center of it all a workplace family that will forever be... until next time.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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There are plenty of reasons to be pessimistic about electric vehicle adoption here in the US.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
21 Aug. 2025
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But Reason Foundation’s Feigenbaum is more pessimistic.—
Tina Li,
Sacbee.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Previous research indicates that, compared to pessimists, optimists enjoy wider social circles, tend to be perceived as more likeable and are more likely to be accepted by their peers.—
Margherita Bassi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
24 July 2025
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Optimists showed greater differences in neural patterns when thinking of positive events versus negative events, compared to pessimists.—
Margherita Bassi,
Smithsonian Magazine,
24 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Defeatist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defeatist. Accessed 31 Aug. 2025.
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