defeatists

Definition of defeatistsnext
plural of defeatist
as in realists
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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for defeatists
Noun
  • 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
  • The dollar amount was chosen arbitrarily based on what voters might accept, and some cynics saw it as a move by a pro-development commission to cozy up to environmentalists.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Steel yourself; the pessimists will have gravitas.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 8 Mar. 2026
  • January’s 130,000 gain quieted the pessimists, proving that the labor market had found a floor.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Defeatists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defeatists. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.

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