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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In fact, the views of the five England fans who spoke to The Athletic are dominated by clear-eyed realism and learned pessimism.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
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So much of the pessimism and the despair that fueled the piece has even greater purchase now.—
Emily Watlington,
ARTnews.com,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Nguyen, who won Do’s seat after his resignation, said the money should be used to specifically support residents who were deprived of services funded by the $10 million in pandemic relief money that Do had directed to nonprofits after receiving bribes.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
10 June 2026
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Trudeau, who announced his resignation as prime minister amid political pressure in January 2025, and his wife Sophie Grégoire announced their separation in August 2023.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Defeatism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defeatism. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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