nihilistic

American  

[nahy-uh-lis-tik] / ˌnaɪ əˈlɪs tɪk /

adjective

1. of or believing in nihilism, or the total rejection of established laws and institutions.

   An exhibition of nihilistic art—now there's an oxymoron!

2. embracing anarchy, terrorism, and destruction.

   nihilistic tactics learned in a terrorist bootcamp.

3. Philosophy. of or believing in an extreme form of skepticism; belief in nothingness.

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Other Word Forms

• antinihilistic adjective
• nihilistically adverb
• nonnihilistic adjective
• unnihilistic adjective

Etymology

Origin of nihilistic

nihil(ism) + -istic

Example Sentences

With no place to check my backpack, I wore it up to the Place du Casino, the forum for Monte Carlo’s slightly nihilistic glamour.

From The Wall Street Journal

“They’re so principled and motivated, even if it’s in a nihilistic way,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

“Anniversary” is a deeply nihilistic film that can’t be described as a cautionary tale — that horse has already left the barn.

From Los Angeles Times

Via a wild final act, the nihilistic streak seen in many of Mr. Lanthimos’s previous movies emerges again, this time in an especially mordant way.

From The Wall Street Journal

The FBI recently recognised a new category of threat called nihilistic violent extremism or NVE, defined by a general hostility to society and desire for chaos rather than a sharply defined ideology.

From BBC

Related Words

• anarchic