nihilistic
[nahy-uh-lis-tik]
- of or believing in nihilism, or the total rejection of established laws and institutions: An exhibition of nihilistic art—now there's an oxymoron!
- embracing anarchy, terrorism, and destruction: nihilstic tactics learned in a terrorist bootcamp.
- Philosophy. of or believing in an extreme form of skepticism; belief in nothingness.
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Origin of nihilistic
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for nihilistic
Contemporary Examples
Secretary of State John Kerry called the group, “ugly, savage, inexplicable, nihilistic, valueless evil.”
That may be partially because The Big Lebowski is their most nihilistic presentation.
They are poached instead of hard-boiled, boasting anti-heroes with nihilistic worldviews who are nevertheless vulnerable.
The answer is that it was not, being instead a series of dissociated gestures that flopped right into a nihilistic void.
They say they will “listen to the Web,” which was the central arena of their nihilistic campaign, “and decide what to do.”
Historical Examples
He is too negative, too nihilistic, and his quest of Buddhahood will end in a lamentable failure.
The BuddhaPaul Carus
The result appears to be a sort of nihilistic sense-idealism.
Modern SkepticismC. J. Ellicott
After Csnad, he issued proclamations which can only be described as nihilistic.
A nihilistic delusion is one which denies existence in whole or part.
Applied Psychology for NursesMary F. Porter
A nihilistic bomb exploded in the cabinet of the czar would scarcely have created more consternation than did my statement.
Princess ZaraRoss Beeckman