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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The dance begin and the people are hopeless, bumping into one another but totally enjoying the experience.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes,
2 Mar. 2025 -
The 60-year-old actress — who has famously portrayed hopeless romantic Charlotte York on the SATC franchise since 1998 — got candid about her brief romance with Alec Baldwin on a recent episode of Rob Lowe's Literally!—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Trump's return was met with cautious optimism across much of the Arabian Peninsula, where his realist, transactional style of diplomacy has earned him respect.—
Newsweek,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
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For over a century, every global crisis has sparked a debate in the United States between two classical schools of geopolitical thought, pitting idealists, ardent supporters of foreign intervention, against realists, who mistrust lofty crusades.—
Neil MacFarquhar,
New York Times,
26 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Some who do have a cynical view — asking what good was it for people to risk that bridge crossing for Black freedom when young Black people are killing one another in Selma today?—
Marisa Peñaloza,
NPR,
9 Mar. 2025
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The cynical Pia is not interested but agrees to her family setting her up on five blind dates, but with her sister's wedding looming and her high school sweetheart serving as best man to the groom, chaos is right around the corner.—
William Lambers,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
Noun
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And yes, there are plenty of options for V-Day cynics, including He's Just Not That Into You and a particularly bloody '80s slasher flick.—
Glamour,
Glamour,
7 Feb. 2025
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All one needs is to read the headlines today, 45 years down the road, to see that sometimes cynics have a point.—
George Monastiriakos,
Newsweek,
30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The pessimistic analysis has not paid nearly enough attention to the weak underpinnings of Russian military power.—
Phillips Payson O’Brien,
The Atlantic,
7 Mar. 2025
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More uncertainty correlates with slower industrial production growth and more pessimistic consumer outlooks on the future.—
Christian Weller,
Forbes,
1 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In his life, there is one thread that binds all chapters: Thor’s electrifying positivity that vexes all pessimists and his inherent ability to connect with others.—
Tyler Shepherd,
USA TODAY,
13 Mar. 2025
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This will be used as a proof point by both venture capital optimists and pessimists, as industry sentiment gets increasingly bifurcated.—
Dan Primack,
Axios,
27 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Defeatist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defeatist. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.
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