What does defeatism mean?
Defeatism is the attitude or belief that defeat, failure, or loss is inevitable, so that resistance, effort, or hope becomes pointless. A person exhibiting defeatism has effectively conceded before the contest begins — whether in war, politics, sport, or personal endeavour. The word carries a distinctly negative connotation: to accuse someone of defeatism is to criticize them for giving up too easily or for undermining morale. It appears frequently in political and military rhetoric (where wartime defeatism has historically been treated as near-treasonous), as well as in discussions of teams, businesses, and social movements facing long odds. The related adjective 'defeatist' describes such attitudes directly, as in 'a defeatist outlook'. The term derives from French 'défaitisme', coined around 1918 during the First World War, from 'défaite' meaning 'defeat'. As a concept, defeatism sits at the opposite pole from optimism and resolve, and understanding it helps clarify debates about when persistence is wise and when acceptance of failure might be realistic.
nounThe attitude or belief that failure, defeat, or loss is inevitable and that resistance or effort is therefore pointless; an acceptance of defeat before it occurs.
- An attitude of accepting, expecting, or promoting defeat; the belief that failure is inevitable and effort is futile.
"The coach warned his players against the creeping defeatism that had settled over the team."
"Her speech was meant to snap the nation out of its postwar defeatism."
"He accused the critics of defeatism, insisting the project could still succeed with enough investment."
Defeatism is an uncountable abstract noun and does not take a plural form in standard usage.
Defeatism was once so feared in wartime Britain that spreading it could be prosecuted as a crime — losing hope itself became treasonous.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of defeatism
Defeatism comes from the French word 'défaitisme', which emerged around the time of the First World War, particularly associated with those who advocated peace with Germany or expected France's defeat. It is built on 'défaite', meaning 'defeat', from Old French 'desfait', the past participle of 'desfaire' ('to undo, ruin'), which traces back through Vulgar Latin to Latin 'disfacere' — literally 'to unmake' or 'undo'. English borrowed the term in the early twentieth century alongside its adjective form 'defeatist'. Cognates sharing this lineage include 'defect' and 'defection', both ultimately rooted in Latin 'deficere' ('to fail, desert, fall short').
Related word forms
How defeatism is actually used
Defeatism carries a strongly negative connotation — it is almost always used to criticize an attitude rather than to endorse one. It is common in political, military, sporting, and business discourse, where calling someone 'defeatist' is typically a rebuke. The adjective form is 'defeatist' (e.g., 'a defeatist attitude'), which is more frequent in everyday speech than the noun.
Easily confused with defeatism
Defection is the act of abandoning a party, cause, or allegiance, whereas defeatism is a pessimistic mindset expecting failure.