Kierkegaard

American  

[keer-ki-gahrd, keer-kuh-gawr] / ˈkɪər kɪˌgɑrd, ˈkir kəˌgɔr /

noun

1. Sören Aabye 1813–55, Danish philosopher and theologian.

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Kierkegaard British  

/ ˈkirɡəɡɔːr, ˈkɪəkəˌɡɑːd /

noun

1. Søren Aabye (ˈsøːrən ˈɔːby). 1813–55, Danish philosopher and theologian. He rejected organized Christianity and anticipated the existentialists in emphasizing man's moral responsibility and freedom of choice. His works include Either/Or (1843), The Concept of Dread (1844), and The Sickness unto Death (1849)

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Other Word Forms

• Kierkegaardian
  adjective

Example Sentences

Kierkegaard was forthright in declaring that his philosophy was designed to ameliorate, or at least manage, existential unease — “fear and trembling” as he operatically phrased it — in a chaotic-feeling modern Europe.

From New York Times • Mar. 23, 2023

As she notes, “Kierkegaard himself had said of Either/Or that you had to either read the whole book or just not read it at all. Kierkegaard was funny!”

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2022

“It’s Scandinavian and pretentious but Kierkegaard once said ‘We can only understand life backwards, but we’re forced to live it forwards,”’ says Trier.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 1, 2022

Anxiety is, as Kierkegaard said, “the dizziness of freedom.”

From Washington Post • Aug. 28, 2020

Scythe Kierkegaard had a crossbow slung over his shoulder.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman