defeatists
Those expecting failure
Defeatists are people who expect or accept failure, often before genuine effort has been made.
The term carries disapproval—implying someone who undermines morale or gives up too easily: The defeatists in the office said the project would never work.
In wartime contexts, defeatist has been used to label those who advocate surrender or oppose continued fighting.
Those assuming negative outcomes
- doomsayersThose predicting disaster
- cynicsDoubters of sincerity
- fatalistsBelievers in predetermined outcomes
- naysayersThose who dismiss ideas
hopelessness · resignation · surrender · capitulation · giving up · despair · discouragement · demoralization
Those who placate aggressors
- collaboratorsPeople who work jointly
- surrenderersThose who give up
- pacifistsThose opposing all warfare
- antiwarOpposed to armed conflict
isolationists · Chamberlain · Munich · armistice · concession · truce · negotiators · compromisers
Those achieving below potential
- losersUnsuccessful competitors
- quittersPeople who stop persisting
- chokersSnug neck adornments
- failuresUnsuccessful attempts or outcomes
underachievers · slackers · sandbaggers · tankers · giving up · forfeiting · conceding · surrendering
pessimists
Those assuming negative outcomes
- doomsayersThose predicting disaster
- cynicsDoubters of sincerity
- fatalistsBelievers in predetermined outcomes
naysayers · hopelessness · resignation · surrender · capitulation · giving up · despair · discouragement · demoralization · gloom
appeasers
Those who placate aggressors
- collaboratorsPeople who work jointly
- surrenderersThose who give up
- pacifistsThose opposing all warfare
antiwar · isolationists · Chamberlain · Munich · armistice · concession · truce · negotiators · compromisers · doves
underperformers
Those achieving below potential
failures · underachievers · slackers · sandbaggers · tankers · giving up · forfeiting · conceding · surrendering · throwing
- negativistspessimists, doomers, doomsayers, negative Nellies, Debbie Downers
defeatistsoptimists
Those expecting favorable results
believers · hopefuls · idealists · true believers · dreamers
defeatistsfighters
Those who engage physically
diehards · die-hards · bitter-enders · stalwarts · true believers