crapehanger

American

[kreyp-hang-er] / ˈkreɪpˌhæŋ ər /

Or crepehanger

noun

a person who sees the gloomy side of things; pessimist.

Etymology

Origin of crapehanger

An Americanism dating back to 1915–20; crape + hanger

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But amid Coolidge prosperity, Hoover was denounced as "a crapehanger."

From Time Magazine Archive

Rock Hudson is an exurban hypochondriac who persuades himself that the hereafter is at hand, Doris Day is his widow-to-be, and Tony Randall is the sprightly crapehanger next door.

From Time Magazine Archive

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023