naysayer

• nay-sayer

Origin: 1715–1725, from nay +‎ say +‎ -er, equivalent to naysay +‎ -er. First recorded use: 1721.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈneɪ.ˌseɪ.ə(ɹ)/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈneɪ.ˌseɪ.ɚ/

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• Hyphenation: nay‧say‧er

naysayer (plural naysayers)

1. One who consistently denies, criticizes, or doubts; a detractor.

   He ignored the naysayers and succeeded with his idea.

   • 2022 January 12, Nigel Harris, “Comment: Unhappy start to 2022”, in RAIL, number 948, page 3:

     As for the IRP, Secretary of State Grant Shapps continues to peddle snake oil, smoke and mirrors. His reaction to near-universal IRP condemnation from politicians, local and national media, and all but a few rail specialists was to dismiss the lot of us (in the condescending and patronising tone we have now come to expect) as "critics and naysayers".

• pessimist, doubter, cynic

• yeasayer, yea-sayer

• naysaying, nay-saying

• “naysayer”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.