French word

défaitisme

Pronunciation

IPA/defetizm/

Meaning

  • masculine noundefeatism

Example

Le défaitisme n'aide pas à avancer.

Defeatism does not help you move forward.

Illustration for défaitisme (defeatism)

More examples

Il faut lutter contre le défaitisme au travail.

We must fight defeatism at work.

Core concept

A person treats defeat as settled, gives up, and stops looking for a way forward.

Common phrases

  • faire preuve de défaitisme

    demonstrate defeatism

  • un esprit de défaitisme

    a defeatist spirit

  • lutter contre le défaitisme

    combat defeatism

Similar words

pessimisme: A tendency to expect bad outcomes and view the future pessimistically.
découragement: A loss of motivation and will to continue when success seems unlikely.
résignation: An attitude of accepting circumstances without resistance or further effort.
fatalisme: A belief that events are determined by fate and cannot be changed.

Definition in French

Attitude ou tendance à accepter la défaite et à se montrer résigné face à un échec au lieu de chercher des solutions.

Word origin

French défaitisme is formed from défaite, "defeat," with the suffix -isme, which denotes a doctrine, attitude, or tendency.

Usage tips

  • Défaitisme is a masculine noun, so standard forms include le défaitisme and du défaitisme.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word