Transcription
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
-
- [dih-fee-tiz-uh m]
- /dɪˈfi tɪz əm/
- /dɪˈfiː.tɪ.zəm/
-
- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [dih-fee-tiz-uh m]
- /dɪˈfi tɪz əm/
Definitions of defeatism word
- uncountable noun defeatism Defeatism is a way of thinking or talking which suggests that you expect to be unsuccessful. 3
- noun defeatism a ready acceptance or expectation of defeat 3
- noun defeatism the attitude, policy, or conduct of a person who admits, expects, or no longer resists defeat, as because of a conviction that further struggle or effort is futile; pessimistic resignation. 1
- noun defeatism Acceptance of defeat without struggle. 1
- noun defeatism pessimism, helplessness 1
Information block about the term
Origin of defeatism
First appearance:
before 1915 One of the 14% newest English words
1915-20; defeat + -ism, modeled on French défaitisme
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Defeatism
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
defeatism popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 77% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
According to our data about 65% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.
defeatism usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for defeatism
noun defeatism
- cynicism — Cynicism is the belief that people always act selfishly.
- discouragement — an act or instance of discouraging.
- hopelessness — providing no hope; beyond optimism or hope; desperate: a hopeless case of cancer.
- pessimism — the tendency to see, anticipate, or emphasize only bad or undesirable outcomes, results, conditions, problems, etc.: His pessimism about the future of our country depresses me.
Antonyms for defeatism
noun defeatism
- disobedience — lack of obedience or refusal to comply; disregard or transgression.
- rebellion — open, organized, and armed resistance to one's government or ruler.
- resistance — the act or power of resisting, opposing, or withstanding.
- disagreement — the act, state, or fact of disagreeing.
- fight — a battle or combat.
See also
Matching words
- Words starting with d
- Words starting with de
- Words starting with def
- Words starting with defe
- Words starting with defea
- Words starting with defeat
- Words starting with defeati
- Words starting with defeatis
- Words starting with defeatism