Definition of pessimism
1 : an inclination to emphasize adverse aspects, conditions, and possibilities or to expect the worst possible outcome
2a : the doctrine that reality is essentially evilb : the doctrine that evil overbalances happiness in life
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Examples of pessimism in a Sentence
Although the economy shows signs of improving, a sense of pessimism remains.
Recent Examples of pessimism from the Web
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After initial pessimism about the man's prognosis, Hendren and his colleagues became cautiously optimistic.
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The pessimism on Capitol Hill stands in sharp contrast to President Donald Trump’s public promises.
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With the Senate set to return to work next week, pessimism is spreading among Republicans over their efforts to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act.
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Reason for pessimism: An offense that scored 12.1 goals per game might see fewer opportunities with the graduation of faceoff specialist Ben Williams (53.9 percent on 181 of 336 and 75 GB).
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A report by the country’s central bank showed pessimism on several different fronts, including growth, inflation and exchange rates.
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In sharp contrast to his pessimism, NASA scientist Chris Reilly was jubilant after taking to the skies over the Azores.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pessimism'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of pessimism
French pessimisme, from Latin pessimus worst — more at pejorative
First Known Use: 1815
Other Psychology Terms
PESSIMISM Defined for English Language Learners
pessimism
playDefinition of pessimism for English Language Learners
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: a feeling or belief that bad things will happen in the future : a feeling or belief that what you hope for will not happen
PESSIMISM Defined for Kids
pessimism
playDefinition of pessimism for Students
: a feeling or belief that things are usually bad or that bad things will happen
Medical Dictionary
Learn More about pessimism
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See words that rhyme with pessimism Spanish Central: Translation of pessimism Nglish: Translation of pessimism for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pessimism for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pessimism
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