nihilistic
Americanadjective
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of or believing in nihilism, or the total rejection of established laws and institutions.
An exhibition of nihilistic art—now there's an oxymoron!
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embracing anarchy, terrorism, and destruction.
nihilistic tactics learned in a terrorist bootcamp.
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Philosophy. of or believing in an extreme form of skepticism; belief in nothingness.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of nihilistic
Explanation
A nihilistic person believes that life is meaningless. If you go through your teenage years in a nihilistic frame of mind, nothing seems to matter to you. Someone who's nihilistic believes in the philosophy of nihilism, which embraces the idea that life as we know it is useless. If you're nihilistic, you don't believe in anything — not religion, a moral code, love. Being nihilistic is also closely related to the political philosophy of anarchism, a belief that all social structures need to be destroyed before a new, better society can be developed.
Vocabulary lists containing nihilistic
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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.
Nihilistic, tragic, self-hating female characters with mental health issues are more common.
From The Guardian • Feb. 7, 2019
Nihilistic art will figure prominently in some of Titchner's new work in Walsall.
From The Guardian • Jul. 10, 2011
Eventually, however, they managed to find the one guy who would give them the diagnosis they wanted for me: Psychodissociative Disorder with Nihilistic Tendencies.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
It seems he, and the man who witnessed against him, both belong to the same secret society—a Nihilistic affair, I take it,—and are sworn to eternal brotherhood, of course.
From Joyce's Investments A Story for Girls by Newberry, Fannie E.
The gentleman of Nihilistic proclivities was somewhat tall and thin, with a long frock-coat buttoned almost up to his throat, which showed signs of giving at the seams every here and there.
From The Firm of Girdlestone by Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
