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
Examples Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for defeatist
Adjective
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Limit Media Exposure Without Putting Your Head in the Sand Staying informed is essential for leaders, but constantly consuming the news can leave you feeling overwhelmed and hopeless.—
Amy Blankson,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025 -
Collette plays Muriel, who escapes from her hopeless life via her devoted fandom to the Swedish supergroup.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
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But realists argue that a fork in the road is coming.—
Sam Knight,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
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These literary realists used their fiction to examine the effect of circumstances on psychology.—
Max Chapnick,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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And the video was a next-gen, next level piece of moviemaking, a cinema verité of the raping of the American farm, a vast, cynical travesty played out in broad daylight in Reagan’s twisted America.—
SPIN Editors,
SPIN,
21 Jan. 2025
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Ironically, Voyager dramatically improved with what could be a cynical casting stunt: adding the alluring Jeri Ryan (constantly wearing a catsuit, no less).—
Chris Snellgrove,
EW.com,
16 Jan. 2025
Noun
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As the two moved through the scenes like a pair of tragic jesters, delighting the wide-eyed and annoying the cynics.—
Elise Taylor,
Vogue,
16 Jan. 2025
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Thus, the Rock Hall is surely more excited at the prospect of inducting current megastars like Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga than appeasing its cynics.—
Troy Smith,
Axios,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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China remains the second biggest market outside of North America, and there were two Hollywood titles in the Top 10 in 2024 — Godzilla x Kong and Alien: Romulus (contrary to 2023 which had none) — but folks are pessimistic that Hollywood will ever return to the heyday of 2012-2019 there.—
Nancy Tartaglione,
Deadline,
15 Jan. 2025
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Then there are the rankings that were right by being pessimistic, which isn’t as fun, but just as important.—
Eno Sarris,
The Athletic,
30 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Yes, but: AGI is also not well-defined, and both optimists and pessimists have complained that it's become a moving goalpost.—
Scott Rosenberg,
Axios,
17 Jan. 2025
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Optimists and pessimists Are scientists merely speculating?—
Stephen Clark,
Ars Technica,
14 Jan. 2025
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Thesaurus Entries Near defeatist
Cite this Entry
“Defeatist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defeatist. Accessed 29 Jan. 2025.
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