defeatist
/dɪˈfiːtɪst
/noun
A person who expects or is excessively ready to accept failure.It also appeals to defeatists, cynics, and worldly-wise men who are not prepared to try to change the system....
- But does she not strengthen those defeatists when she writes of the EU poll: ‘The Europeans want to see that initiative eliminated, too.’
- He talked about economic isolationism, defeatists, protectionists, who is talking about protectionism, who is talking about economic isolationism.
Synonyms
pessimist, fatalist, yielder, cynic, prophet of doom, doomwatcher;
misery, killjoy, worrier, Job's comforter
informal quitter, doom and gloom merchant, doomster, wet blanket
adjective
Demonstrating expectation or acceptance of failure: we have a duty not to be so defeatist...
- Keeping warm, romantic ideas close was better than letting the pessimistic, defeatist attitude be victorious within her.
- ‘That, brought with it a kind of defeatist attitude, a lot of psychological baggage,’ he says.
- It's this kind of defeatist attitude which is keeping me away from the national media spotlight.
Synonyms
pessimistic, fatalistic, negative, resigned, cynical, discouraged, despondent, despairing, hopeless, bleak, gloomy, gloom-ridden, looking on the dark/black side
Derivatives
defeatism
/ noun ...- Such parental pressure, could lead to a distorted perspective, disappointment, defeatism, withdrawal, hurt, anger and much worse.
- In any case I ask all our friends not to be too emotional and weak stomached, and above all not to help the enemy in what he is desperate to achieve, i.e. defeatism and despair.
- But what I heard in Art's voice was a sound of such despair and defeatism, that, you know, it was clear that he'd given up.
Origin
Early 20th century: from French défaitiste, from défaite 'defeat'.