Weltschmerz
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of Weltschmerz
First recorded in 1860–65; literally, “world-pain,” from Welt world ( def. ) + Schmerz “pain”; see smart ( def. ) (in the sense “pain”)
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It’s a sure cure for any lingering Weltschmerz.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 24, 2025
This is even more surprising, given that what the German novelist Jean Paul christened Weltschmerz has seemingly been in steady decline for the last 10 years.
From The Guardian • Feb. 3, 2016
The crass Buck is less interested in discussing Tony’s sudden bout of Weltschmerz than he is in ushering him off to the Japanese restaurant where their dates await.
From New York Times • Dec. 6, 2011
Bloch's first New York exhibition in 37 years, which includes some of the Blaue Reiter works, reveals that the early, brooding Weltschmerz never left him.
From Time Magazine Archive
Another point of interest is the coming of the Erdgeist immediately after the Weltschmerz.
From Among Famous Books by Kelman, John
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.
