fatalism

[ feyt-l-iz-uhm ]

/ ˈfeɪt lˌɪz əm /

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See synonyms for: fatalism / fatalistic on Thesaurus.com

noun

the acceptance of all things and events as inevitable; submission to fate: Her fatalism helped her to face death with stoic calm.

Philosophy. the doctrine that all events are subject to fate or inevitable predetermination.

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Origin of fatalism

First recorded in 1670–80; fatal + -ism

OTHER WORDS FROM fatalism

fa·tal·ist, noun, adjectivefa·tal·is·tic

[feyt-l-is-tik], /ˌfeɪt lˈɪs tɪk/, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH fatalism

determinism, fatalism , necessitarianism

Words nearby fatalism

fastuous, fast worker, fat, Fatah, fatal, fatalism, fatalist, fatalistic, fatality, fatally, Fata Morgana

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use fatalism in a sentence

We tend to get distracted by utopian visions or by a cynical fatalism that says, “Let’s just burn the whole thing down because nothing can improve it.”
Steven Pinker Has His Reasons - Issue 108: Change|Brian Gallagher|November 17, 2021|Nautilus
We’re in even deeper trouble if healthy cynicism tips into lazy fatalism.
Why We Shouldn't Write Off COP26 Before It's Even Started|Paul Polman|October 27, 2021|Time
Seasons upon seasons of coming up short can imbue a sense of fatalism in even the most optimistic supporters.
This Year’s NBA Champion Will Bring A Title To A Cursed Sports City|Santul Nerkar (santul.nerkar@abc.com)|July 1, 2021|FiveThirtyEight
Keong Sim narrates the book in a serene, resonant voice, capturing the author’s wry humor and feelings of awe and fatalism.
3 great new audiobooks for your drive, your walk, your laundry folding ...|Katherine A. Powers|June 25, 2021|Washington Post

Rather than sparking inspiration, it speaks of blatant fatalism about what is worth saving, a preference for the lofty and unpopulated … with delusions of innovation and heroism.
Why We Should Be Spending More on Space Travel|Jeffrey Kluger|April 12, 2021|Time
The dire fatalism that dominated the discourse then is gone, replaced largely with a practiced apathy.
Heart of Darkness: Into Afghanistan’s Taliban Valley|Matt Trevithick, Daniel Seckman|November 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Middle East was the source of an uncharacteristic vibe at Davos: fatalism.
Political Tensions Takes Center Stage at World Economic Forum|Daniel Gross|January 27, 2013|DAILY BEAST
This is in marked contrast to the fatalism you see in places like Russia and China, where partisanship is frowned upon.
Why Partisan Bickering Works|Tunku Varadarajan|February 23, 2010|DAILY BEAST
It had had, he owned, its temporary value, as the necessary rebellion against fatalism and immobility and privilege.
The Life of Mazzini|Bolton King
Jarvis discarded his fatalism, as he caught at this loophole.
The Ghost Breaker|Charles Goddard
No fatalism is long proof against the call of love and June.
The Secret Witness|George Gibbs
"The roses of Konopisht," he muttered, thinking of Marishka's fatalism.
The Secret Witness|George Gibbs
He is accused of a leaning to fatalism, which he heartily denied, but which seems to follow from his logical conclusions.
Beacon Lights of History, Volume VI|John Lord

British Dictionary definitions for fatalism

fatalism

/ (ˈfeɪtəˌlɪzəm) /

noun

the philosophical doctrine that all events are predetermined so that man is powerless to alter his destiny

the acceptance of and submission to this doctrine

a lack of effort or action in the face of difficulty

Derived forms of fatalism

fatalist, nounfatalistic, adjectivefatalistically, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for fatalism

fatalism

The belief that events are determined by an impersonal fate and cannot be changed by human beings. Fatalism is a form of determinism.

fatalism

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Origin of fatalism

OTHER WORDS FROM fatalism

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH fatalism

Words nearby fatalism

Words related to fatalism

How to use fatalism in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for fatalism

Derived forms of fatalism

Cultural definitions for fatalism