nihilistic
Americanadjective
-
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.
nihilistic tactics learned in a terrorist bootcamp.
-
Philosophy. of or believing in an extreme form of skepticism; belief in nothingness.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of nihilistic
Explanation
A nihilistic person believes that life is meaningless. If you go through your teenage years in a nihilistic frame of mind, nothing seems to matter to you. Someone who's nihilistic believes in the philosophy of nihilism, which embraces the idea that life as we know it is useless. If you're nihilistic, you don't believe in anything — not religion, a moral code, love. Being nihilistic is also closely related to the political philosophy of anarchism, a belief that all social structures need to be destroyed before a new, better society can be developed.
Vocabulary lists containing nihilistic
Unwind
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Diane Keaton turns 70!
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
A Quick Current Events Vocab Quiz! Are "Nihilistic" Dissidents Threatening Sochi?
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
