Weltschmerz

or welt·schmerz

[ velt-shmerts ]

/ ˈvɛltˌʃmɛrts /

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See synonyms for Weltschmerz on Thesaurus.com

noun German.

sorrow that one feels and accepts as one's necessary portion in life; sentimental pessimism.

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of Weltschmerz

First recorded in 1860–65; literally, “world-pain,” from Welt world + Schmerz “pain”; see smart (in the sense “pain”)

Words nearby Weltschmerz

welt, Weltanschauung, welter, welterweight, Weltpolitik, Weltschmerz, Welty, Welty, Eudora, welwitschia, Welwyn Garden City, Wembley

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Weltschmerz in a sentence

Have the Zeitgeist and the Weltschmerz and the other things compared to which ‘le spleen’ was gay, done so much for us?
The Rhythm of Life|Alice Meynell
The work which is presented in the following pages is intended to be a modest contribution to the natural history of Weltschmerz.
Types of Weltschmerz in German Poetry|Wilhelm Alfred Braun
This is entirely compatible with the definition of Weltschmerz which has been attempted above.
Types of Weltschmerz in German Poetry|Wilhelm Alfred Braun
The second bearing which his relations to Louise have upon his Weltschmerz lies in the fact that his love ended in disappointment.
Types of Weltschmerz in German Poetry|Wilhelm Alfred Braun

Hence the difference between the pessimism of Ibsen and the romantic Weltschmerz of these uncritical minds.
Types of Weltschmerz in German Poetry|Wilhelm Alfred Braun

British Dictionary definitions for Weltschmerz

Weltschmerz

/ German (ˈvɛltʃmɛrts) /

noun

sadness or melancholy at the evils of the world; world-weariness

Word Origin for Weltschmerz

literally: world pain

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012