naysayer

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nay·say

(nā′sā′)

tr.v. nay·said (-sĕd′), nay·say·ing, nay·says (-sĕz′)

To oppose, deny, or take a pessimistic or negative view of: They will naysay any policy that raises taxes.

nay′say′er n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

naysayer

(ˈneɪˌseɪə)

someone who opposes something or says no to it

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

nay•say•er

(ˈneɪˌseɪ ər)

n.

a person who habitually expresses negative or pessimistic views.

[1715–25]

nay′say`, v.t. -said, -say•ing.

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Noun

naysayer - someone with an aggressively negative attitude

obstructer, obstructionist, obstructor, resister, thwarter - someone who systematically obstructs some action that others want to take

technophobe - a person who dislikes or avoids new technology

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References in classic literature ?

Free for death, and free in death; a holy Naysayer, when there is no longer time for Yea: thus understandeth he about death and life.

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Another naysayer said: "Kadiri yung mukha ni Seth, napadaan sa newsfeed ko."

Seth Fedelin handles bashers dismissively

The synagogues are empty, more "grand vacuum" than grand house of worship, and young people today are "loud in dress, louder in commonplace and empty words," or, worse still, apt to be "atheists, agnostics, or nothingarians," adds a third and then a fourth naysayer.

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And then it struck me, although this person is not explicitly saying "No", through his actions he is a naysayer, because he does not believe that the project will work.

How to deal with naysayers

One of the constants of Canadian foreign policy is the role of the naysayer, usually occupying an academic or bureaucratic perch, who finds ways to debunk the achievements of our country in the international sphere.

Let's hear it for being average

I am not a naysayer. Less urgent, but equally important, I firmly believe that all classical music training should include instruction in improvisation.

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So as the traditional automakers give in to the naysayer's willing to dispel the possibilities of plastic-bodied, affordable vehicles, Little Tikes is proving that plastics can lead to longevity and profitability.

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I do not want to be a naysayer, but I cannot see this concept, noble as it is, being translated into a practicable reality and I would not want to see it draining precious financial resources from a national budget that is already under severe stress.

Not a naysayer

Predictably, the US was the lone naysayer of the eight Arctic nations, in opposing caps on emissions.

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For example, I've heard a naysayer claim that certification will actually cause more problems, because a certified coach will feel entitled to a position regardless of his qualifications and background compared to other candidates.

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That means blocking out those who don't believe in or understand your passion--that includes silencing the naysayer within yourself.