fatalism

1 of 2

noun

fa·​tal·​ism ˈfā-tə-ˌli-zəm 

: a doctrine that events are fixed in advance so that human beings are powerless to change them

also : a belief in or attitude determined by this doctrine

fatalism that regards social problems as simply inevitable

fatalist

ˈfā-tə-list 

noun

fatalistic

ˌfā-tə-ˈli-stik 

adjective

fatalistically

ˌfā-tə-ˈli-sti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

fatalistic

2 of 2

adjective

fa·​tal·​is·​tic

-tēk

1

: relating to, implying, or consisting of fatalism

a fatalistic philosophy

sorrowful but fatalistic acceptance

—A. D. Coleman

2

: believing in or inclined to fatalism

a fatalistic people

fatalistically

-tə̇k(ə)lē 

-tēk-, 

-li

adverb

Examples of fatalism in a Sentence

Noun

Many people seem to have developed a sense of fatalism about the war.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Many of the letters narrate his thoughts that were a strange mixture of fatalism and optimism. —Literary Hub, 14 May 2026

But while most fans sank into a very understandable fatalism, there was one man who refused. —Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 5 May 2026

To make that medicine go down easier, RAYE costumes her fatalism in a baroque maximalism. —Boutayna Chokrane, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2026

Still, Powell pushed back against fatalism. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

fatalist + -ic

First Known Use

Noun

1678, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fatalism

• autism
• fascism
• racism
• sikhism
• sophism
• statism
• sufism
• thomism
• tourism
• tropism
• abolitionism
• aldosteronism

Kids Definition

fatalism

noun

fa·​tal·​ism ˈfāt-ᵊl-ˌiz-əm 

: the belief or attitude that events are decided in advance by powers beyond one's control

fatalist

-əst 

noun

fatalistic

ˌfāt-ᵊl-ˈis-tik 

adjective

fatalistically

-ti-k(ə-)lē 

adverb