as in pessimism
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Recent Examples of defeatism
And yet, as the deadline loomed, there were also legitimate reasons to temper such defeatism.
—
Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2025
By contrast, maybe such language engenders a sense of defeatism, a belief in the inevitability of collapse which is collectively paralyzing.
—Ed Simon
september 24, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
This state of mind is defeatism in disguise, capitulating to discord, disorder, and defeat without even joining the battle.
—Karen Neff, Christian Science Monitor, 25 July 2025
This defeatism has been supported by a second, equally pernicious assumption: that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s commitment to subjugating Ukraine cannot be deterred.
—Michael Carpenter, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for defeatism
Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2025
By contrast, maybe such language engenders a sense of defeatism, a belief in the inevitability of collapse which is collectively paralyzing.
—Ed Simon
september 24, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2025
This state of mind is defeatism in disguise, capitulating to discord, disorder, and defeat without even joining the battle.
—Karen Neff, Christian Science Monitor, 25 July 2025
This defeatism has been supported by a second, equally pernicious assumption: that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s commitment to subjugating Ukraine cannot be deterred.
—Michael Carpenter, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for defeatism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defeatism
Noun
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Respondents pointed to the potential harms of AI on creativity and relationships and expressed pessimism about its impact on education and jobs.—
Kevin Breuninger,Annie Palmer,
CNBC,
20 May 2026
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Early buzz for Saturday Night Live UK was tempered by a classic sense of British pessimism.—
David Renshaw,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Noun
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The hearing also touched on the resignation of Treasury Department General Counsel Brian Morrissey, which has been reported as lined to the fund’s creation, though CNBC has not confirmed the reason.—
Luke Fountain,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
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Her early resignation gives candidates more time to plan and get donors lined up, McCorkle said.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defeatism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defeatism. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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