1
as in cynic
one who emphasizes bad aspects or conditions and expects the worst
she's such a pessimist that she's convinced she'll fail every test
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in misanthrope
a person who distrusts other people and believes that everything is done for selfish reasons
a true pessimist, he's convinced that there will be wars as long as there are people to wage them
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of pessimist
The pessimists will see the phrasing as an insult.
—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
5 Mar. 2026
The pessimist would say the school can't win.
—
CBS News,
14 Jan. 2026
And in recent weeks, AI bubble pessimists have rallied around Michael Burry, the hedge-fund investor who made hundreds of millions of dollars betting against the housing market in 2008.
—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
23 Nov. 2025
That sensibility is countered by Dina’s, who plays the romantic foil to Liberty’s pessimist.
—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pessimist
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
5 Mar. 2026
The pessimist would say the school can't win.
—
CBS News,
14 Jan. 2026
And in recent weeks, AI bubble pessimists have rallied around Michael Burry, the hedge-fund investor who made hundreds of millions of dollars betting against the housing market in 2008.
—
Bobby Allyn,
NPR,
23 Nov. 2025
That sensibility is countered by Dina’s, who plays the romantic foil to Liberty’s pessimist.
—
Tom Smyth,
Vulture,
5 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pessimist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimist
Noun
-
Naturally, the cynics will want to naysay.
-
And, though a lot of cynics will try to convince you otherwise, that’s perfectly OK.
Noun
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Any realist would tell you Ukraine would fall.
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The realist recognizes this series has had two games that were toss-ups and one where the Knicks were just better, longer.
Cite this Entry
“Pessimist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pessimist. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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