as in realists
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
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for defeatists
Noun
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The belief by cynics is that Netflix wants to be a streaming service.—
Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 26 Dec. 2025
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On the other hand, skeptics and cynics tend to be insistent right now that the clean-up activity is not going to last very long.—
Noun
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And in recent weeks, AI bubble pessimists have rallied around Michael Burry, the hedge-fund investor who made hundreds of millions of dollars betting against the housing market in 2008.—
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While optimistic economists argue that America can grow its way out of a debt crisis, pessimists believe the real outcome will be somewhat less popular.—
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“Defeatists.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/defeatists. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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