Schopenhauer

American  

[shoh-puhn-hou-er, shoh-puhn-hou-uhr] / ˈʃoʊ pənˌhaʊ ər, ˈʃoʊ pənˌhaʊ ər /

noun

1. Arthur 1788–1860, German philosopher.

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Schopenhauer British  

/ ˈʃoːpənhauər, ˌʃəʊpənˈhaʊərɪən /

noun

1. Arthur (ˈartʊr). 1788–1860, German pessimist philosopher. In his chief work, The World as Will and Idea (1819), he expounded the view that will is the creative primary factor and idea the secondary receptive factor

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Schopenhauerism
  noun
• Schopenhauerian
  adjective

Example Sentences

In his program note, Sharon quotes the doom-laden philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer as an inspiration for Wagner’s nothing-is-real masterpiece.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

On what philosopher she thinks of when she thinks of pasta: Maybe Schopenhauer … yes, probably him.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 21, 2023

Still, asks Schopenhauer, why should we be afraid of nonexistence since no one is troubled about having been nothing before his or her birth?

From Washington Post • Jan. 13, 2021

Reason, as Schopenhauer puts it, echoing Hume, is the hard-pressed servant of the will.

From Salon • Nov. 1, 2020

Schopenhauer, Kant, Nietzsche, naturally, I read all of those.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey