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Definition of defeatism

defeatism

/dɪˈfiːtɪzəm/
de · feat · ism
Adjective:defeatist
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defeatism Lexical Profile

defeatism Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

An attitude of accepting, expecting, or being resigned to failure without making an effort to struggle against it.

Example

"The coach warned the team against succumbing to defeatism after losing the first two games of the season."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

defeat
defeatable
defeatedly
defeatism
defeatist
defecate
defecation

Word Origin & Etymology

Borrowed during World War I from the French 'défaitisme', a term coined by Russian-born French writer Grigoriy Aleksinskiy in 1915 to describe the political stance of those who believed Russia's defeat was necessary to bring about social revolution.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Defeatism. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/defeatism
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