pessimism
Americannoun
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the tendency to see, anticipate, or emphasize only bad or undesirable outcomes, results, conditions, problems, etc..
His pessimism about the future of our country depresses me.
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the doctrine that the existing world is the worst of all possible worlds, or that all things naturally tend to evil.
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the belief that the evil and pain in the world are not compensated for by goodness and happiness.
noun
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the tendency to expect the worst and see the worst in all things
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the doctrine of the ultimate triumph of evil over good
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the doctrine that this world is corrupt and that man's sojourn in it is a preparation for some other existence
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pessimism
First recorded in 1785–95; from Latin pessim(us) “worst” (suppletive superlative of malus “bad”) + -ism; modeled on optimism ( def. )
Explanation
Pessimism means thinking the worst. It's the opposite of optimism, which means assuming the best. Most people feel that too much pessimism is paralyzing — who will ever try anything if they are always sure they will fail? Pessimism comes in two flavors. With one, you feel that something bad will happen. You feel pessimistic about the geometry final. How will you pass it? Pessimism is also the tendency to expect the worst in everything. A pessimist in love is a person sure that there must be something wrong with the person to love them back. A pessimist on an airplane is sure the plane is missing some essential part that won't be noticed until it plummets from the sky. Can pessimism be fun? Not really ever.
Vocabulary lists containing pessimism
Artemis Fowl
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Promises to Keep
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Vocabulary Video Contest (2013) - List 1
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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.
Kyla Scanlon and other financial commentators have warned about Gen Z’s tendency toward financial nihilism — the idea that widespread economic pessimism is pushing more young people to take extreme risks with their money.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026
It follows an Air Force statement on Monday urging the media not to write "sensationalised headlines" or "spread pessimism" about the shortage of air defence interceptors.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
Polling shows pessimism about the economy has increased among all Americans and most believe the country is in an affordability crisis.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Tech conglomerate SoftBank—a proxy for the AI trade—Advantest and Kioxia, to name a few, have oscillated sharply as market sentiment flits between euphoria over the technology’s long-term promise and pessimism over monetization and sky-high valuations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
I could lose myself forever in that singular little face, in the pessimism of her beautiful mouth.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
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.
