defeatism

IPA/dɪˈfiːtɪzəm/
KK[dɪfˈitɪzəm]IPA/dɪˈfiːtɪzəm/

defeatism — noun

1. the belief that failure or loss is certain, making effort seem pointless

1.nounB2
Definition

the belief that failure or loss is certain, making effort seem pointless

Example

Defeatism spread through the team after their captain was injured.

defeatism + spread through [group]

Yuna felt defeatism creeping in after she lost the first two debates.

defeatism + creep in

Common collocations
  • creeping defeatism
  • spirit of defeatism
  • widespread defeatism
  • defeatism about the future
  • defeatism among the troops
Synonyms
  • pessimism

    more general; about expecting negative outcomes in any situation, not necessarily linked to giving up effort

  • fatalism

    more philosophical; the belief that all events are predetermined and human effort cannot change them

  • resignation

    the emotional state of having accepted an unwanted outcome, rather than the belief system behind it

Antonyms
  • optimism

    the general tendency to expect positive outcomes

  • determination

    the quality of continuing to try despite difficulties

Grammar Patterns

defeatism + about + noun phrase

defeatism + among + group noun

Usage Note

Frequently used in political, military, and sports contexts to describe a collective mood rather than a single person's personality trait.

Common Mistakes

He has a defeatism about the election.
He shows defeatism about the election.
'defeatism' is uncountable; never use 'a' before it.
Her defeatism made her bring an umbrella to the picnic.
Her pessimism made her bring an umbrella to the picnic.
defeatism is about giving up effort, not merely expecting bad outcomes.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Defeatism is specifically about expecting to lose or fail and therefore seeing effort as pointless — it carries a strong link to action (or inaction). Pessimism is broader: a pessimist expects bad outcomes in general but may still try anyway. Fatalism is a philosophical stance that everything is already decided by fate; a fatalist may accept hardship calmly without the despair that defeatism implies. Resignation describes the emotional state of having stopped fighting against something unwanted — you can feel resignation without holding a defeatist worldview. Hopelessness is a raw feeling of having no hope at all, which can underlie defeatism but is more personal and less ideological. For example: a defeatist says 'Why bother campaigning? We'll lose anyway'; a pessimist says 'We'll probably lose, but I'll still vote.'

pessimism ↗fatalism ↗resignation ↗hopelessness ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • spirit of defeatism
  • sense of defeatism
  • mood of defeatism

Adverbs

Phrases

  • creeping defeatism
  • give in to defeatism
  • slide into defeatism

Prepositions

Etymology

English

Formed in English from the noun 'defeat' combined with the suffix '-ism', which marks a system of belief or ideological stance. The word gained wide use during the early 20th century, especially around the First World War, when it was applied to attitudes thought to weaken a nation's will to fight. It has since broadened to describe any outlook that treats failure as inevitable.