Meaning & use

naysayer

noun·Academic

A person who habitually criticizes, doubts, or opposes ideas and plans put forward by others.

See it in a sentence

The naysayers claimed the bridge would collapse, but it has stood for fifty years.

Every startup faces naysayers who insist the idea will never succeed.

A note on using this word

Naysayer carries a mildly negative tone, suggesting reflexive negativity rather than thoughtful, constructive criticism.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “naysayer”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.