nihilism

noun

ni·​hil·​ism ˈnī-(h)ə-ˌli-zəm  ˈnē- 

1

a

: a viewpoint that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and that existence is senseless and useless

Nihilism is a condition in which all ultimate values lose their value.

—Ronald H. Nash

… the play indulges the catharsis of nihilism in the face of political defeat.

—Christian Holub

Amidst self-doubt and dismal consumerism, Crack Cloud's third album, Red Mile, soldiers on in hopeful nihilism, insisting to lean into creativity when the process seems futile.

—Margaret Farrell

b

: a doctrine that denies any objective ground of truth and especially of moral truths

2

: a doctrine that no reality exists

… metaphysical nihilism denies completely the reality of being.

—Joseph L. Pappin

3

a

: a doctrine or belief that conditions in the social organization are so bad as to make destruction desirable for its own sake independent of any constructive program or possibility

b

Nihilism : the program of a 19th century Russian party advocating revolutionary reform and using terrorism and assassination

nihilist

ˈnī-(h)ə-list 

ˈnē-

noun or adjective

I express to him that being a nihilist is a form of idealism—you don't want to tear things down if you don't think things could be better somehow …

—Jonathan Ames

nihilistic

ˌnī-(h)ə-ˈli-stik 

ˌnē-

adjective

… those who embrace the epistemically nihilistic vision that life has no depth …

—Frank Cioffi

Examples of nihilism in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The cynical nihilism of it all is exhausting, and ultimately the joke is on us. — ArsTechnica, 30 Oct. 2026

To take such a thing seriously in this age of nihilism and disenchantment betrays a person as potentially unserious, someone committed to abstraction, to feeling over logic and material reality. — Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026

For all of the stories of healing and awakening, psychedelics also can engender another archive of spiritual life — terror, confusion, nihilism, and psychic collapse. — Claire Hoffman, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026

His unyielding tongue-in-cheek career narrative touches on craftsmanship, luxury and nihilism. — Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

German Nihilismus, from Latin nihil nothing — more at nil

First Known Use

1812, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for nihilism

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

Medical Definition

nihilism

noun

ni·​hi·​lism ˈnī-(h)ə-ˌliz-əm  ˈnē- 

1

: nihilistic delusion

2

: skepticism as to the value of a drug or method of treatment

nihilistic

ˌnī-(h)ə-ˈlis-tik, ˌnē- 

adjective