defeatism
- noun
- /dɪˈfiːtɪzəm/
- Why such a dramatic increase in defeatism from 2008?
- self-doubt and defeatism
And I want to instill that in people rather than instill defeatism in people's minds.
- And I want to instill that in people rather than instill defeatism in people's minds.
- Usually I try and circumnavigate that sort of that back padding with a little bit of like defeatism or something.
Examples
-
It's the fatalism and defeatism I want to see stop already.
Blog text (26) -
Up through 2008, it was extremely unusual for questions from the audience to consist of pure defeatism.
Academic text (2010) -
Israel and the West have worked hard to impose a sense of defeatism on us.
Academic text (2004) -
But this defeatism sells Mexico short; the country can still triumph in its struggle.
Academic text (2012) -
Is it surprising that these are also the years of growing school failure, delinquency, and defeatism?
Academic text (1990) -
Yet this statement of resolve soon gives way to self-doubt and defeatism:
Academic text (1997) -
In these days of defeatism and disillusionment... he was one who believed in duty to his country... devotion to his family, and dedication to his work.
-
The title of the novel al-Washm is an allusion to Karim's defeatism.
Academic text (1997) -
Dismissing these complaints as whining drivel sounds like a combination of defeatism and rationalization.
Blog text (8) -
She refused to let defeatism cloud her judgment during the difficult project.
Synonyms
A way of thinking that expects bad things to happen
Accepting an unpleasant situation without trying to change it
Believing events are already decided and cannot be changed by people
Antonyms
How Defeatist
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Defeatism combines defeat ('loss' or 'being beaten') and the ending -ism ('a belief or way of thinking'), much like pessimism. So defeatism is a way of thinking that expects to lose and often makes people give up.