as in hopeless
emphasizing or expecting the worst
your defeatist attitude is depressing everyone else on the team!
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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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Democracy in the United States faces a serious threat, but the case is not hopeless.—
Laura Gamboa,
Foreign Affairs,
31 Mar. 2025 -
Despite running on dirt-minded tires that are hopeless on snow and ice, these ultra-luxe restomods had no problem roaring through the powder covering the ground.—
Tim Stevens,
Robb Report,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The realist in me views that as highly unlikely, a long shot, but not impossible.—
Omar Kelly,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2025
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Critics have described Abercrombie, never satisfactorily, as a surrealist or a magic realist.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
ARTnews.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Val did something special with a typical 1980s cynical rebel/wisecracker role, giving his character a layer of big brother warmth.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2025
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On the movie front, Viola Davis is an endangered POTUS in G20, Tom Hardy plays a cynical detective in Havoc, and documentary subjects include the Stranger Things stage production, the Milwaukee Brewers’ 1982 season and the Disney cult classic A Goofy Movie.—
Ryan Schwartz,
TVLine,
31 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In fact, cynics do worse on cognitive tests and have a harder time spotting liars than non-cynics.—
Jamil Zaki,
TIME,
3 Sep. 2024
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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
Adjective
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This piece won’t be one of those pessimistic about baseball’s future.—
Harry Enten,
CNN Money,
29 Mar. 2025
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But the more pessimistic outlook now appears more realistic.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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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.—
Lucinda Shen,
Axios,
27 Mar. 2025
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Optimists climb the career ladder faster and farther than pessimists.—
Bryan Robinson,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Defeatist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defeatist. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.
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