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defeatist

defeatist

12 7.4
A person who expects failure and gives up instead of trying to solve problems
  • noun
  • /dɪˈfiːtɪst/
translation icon : derrotista
  • He has a defeatist attitude that prevents him from trying new things.
  • defeatist attitude

Examples

Synonyms

quitter
vsdefeatist
  • Offensive
42 3.2

A person who gives up easily and does not finish things

expects failure and therefore does not attempt to find solutions
pessimist
vsdefeatist
25 3.9

A person who expects bad things to happen

expects failure and therefore avoids seeking solutions or optimism
fatalist
vsdefeatist
3 7.9

A person who believes events are already decided and cannot be changed

accepts failure because events seem inevitable rather than from mere pessimism
doomer
vsdefeatist
  • Slang
3 9.3

A person who thinks the future will be bad and expects disaster

expects failure and thus avoids attempting to find practical solutions
negative Nancy
vsdefeatist
  • Offensive
1 8.9

A person who always expects bad things to happen

expects failure and therefore avoids trying to find solutions
negative Nelly
vsdefeatist
  • Offensive
1 8.2

A person who always expects the worst and often complains

expects failure and so does not attempt to find solutions
negativist
vsdefeatist
9.1

A person who always sees the bad side of things and offers no solutions

expects failure and so does not try to find solutions
Negative Ned
vsdefeatist
  • Offensive
8.7

A person who always sees the bad side of things

expects failure and so does not look for solutions
surrenderer
vsdefeatist
7.3

A person who gives up during a fight or competition

accepts failure more generally rather than only in confrontational situations

Antonyms

63 3.2

A person who usually expects good things to happen

How Defeatist

quitter
  • Offensive
42 3.2
defeatist
12 7.4
pessimist
25 3.9

Surface Forms

defeatist singular
defeatists plural

Morphology

defeatist = defeat (transparent) = defeat + ist

The word is a straightforward agent/character-forming derivation from 'defeat' + '-ist', meaning 'one characterized by expecting defeat', which is directly inferable from the base.

Etymology

The word defeatist comes from defeat ('loss' or 'to be beaten') and the ending -ist ('person who'). So a defeatist is someone who expects failure and often does not try to change the result.