defeatism
C1Formal, academic, journalistic
Definition
Meaning
The attitude of expecting or accepting defeat too readily, without sufficient effort or hope.
A psychological or philosophical stance characterized by resignation, pessimism, and a belief that failure is inevitable, often leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily an abstract noun denoting an attitude or mindset. Often used in political, military, or psychological contexts. Implies criticism of the attitude as unjustified or harmful.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in British political discourse historically, but now equally used in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[verb] + defeatismdefeatism + [prepositional phrase]adjective + defeatismVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A culture of defeatism”
- “The defeatist's creed”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to criticise a team's lack of belief in turning around a failing project.
Academic
Analysed in political science and psychology as a factor in group dynamics and conflict outcomes.
Everyday
Used to describe someone giving up on a personal challenge too easily.
Technical
A specific term in military strategy and political psychology.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The leader warned against defeatising the electorate with gloomy forecasts.
American English
- Commentators accused him of defeatizing ahead of the negotiations.
adverb
British English
- He shrugged defeatistically when asked about the team's chances.
American English
- She argued, not defeatistically, but from a position of stark realism.
adjective
British English
- His defeatist attitude drained morale from the entire campaign.
American English
- She rejected the defeatist narrative pushed by her opponents.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- His defeatism made it hard for the team to stay positive.
- The manager fought against the creeping defeatism in the department after the failed product launch.
- Historians argue that the pervasive defeatism within the cabinet ultimately undermined the war effort more than any external enemy.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a sports team that has 'defeat' already in its name (-defeat-) and its '-ism' (belief system) before the game even starts.
Conceptual Metaphor
DEFEATISM IS A DISEASE / DEFEATISM IS A POISON (e.g., 'spreading defeatism', 'the poison of defeatism').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating directly as "пораженчество" in non-political contexts, as the Russian term is heavily loaded with historical WWI connotations. In everyday contexts, use more general terms like "пессимизм" or "упаднические настроения".
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'defeatism' (attitude) with 'defeat' (event).
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'a defeatism' is incorrect).
- Misspelling as 'defetism'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST definition of 'defeatism'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is almost exclusively used pejoratively to criticise an attitude seen as unjustifiably pessimistic or harmful to collective effort.
While it can describe an individual's attitude, it more commonly describes a shared mood or mindset within a group, team, or population.
Pessimism is a general expectation of bad outcomes. Defeatism is a specific form of pessimism applied to a struggle or conflict, implying acceptance of failure and often a cessation of effort.
The standard related verb is 'to defeat'. The verbs 'to defeatise'/'defeatize' and adverb 'defeatistically' are rare but attested, primarily used in political commentary.
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