pessimism

noun pes·si·mism \ ˈpe-sə-ˌmi-zəm also ˈpe-zə- \

Updated on: 18 Apr 2018

Definition of pessimism

1 : an inclination to emphasize adverse aspects, conditions, and possibilities or to expect the worst possible outcome

2 a : the doctrine that reality is essentially evil

b : the doctrine that evil overbalances happiness in life

See pessimism defined for English-language learners

See pessimism defined for kids

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

Conservative under Reagan had become a potent force, a liberating optimistic and patriotic alternative to the malaise and pessimism of the 1970s.

— Fox News, "Laura Ingraham announces new segment 'Defending the First'," 10 Apr. 2018
But that pessimism sometimes serves to obscure the people and organizations trying to improve the web.

— louise matsakis, WIRED, "Mozilla Diagnoses the Health of the Global Internet," 10 Apr. 2018
Rather, the current wave of destruction says more about our own pessimism, the weakness of our potential building legacy, and our lack of patience in finding ways to supersede the cycle of ugliness and make these monstrosities our own.

— lauren ro, Curbed, "See brutalist buildings in the moment of destruction," 6 Apr. 2018
That’s what a friend of mine termed as neo-pessimism, but this is deeper than that, because the logic is so intact.

— hilary hughes, Billboard, "How Jason Moran Met His Musical Match in Ta-Nehisi Coates with 'Between the World and Me'," 6 Apr. 2018
Instead, a touch of pessimism is shadowing markets and making this week’s swings so different from the correction in January.

— evan horowitz, BostonGlobe.com, "Volatile stocks hint at a crisis of faith among investors," 4 Apr. 2018
But his general pessimism about the world that lay in wait in the 21st century now looks remarkably prescient, at least next to the Pollyannaish forecasts of techno-optimists, democracy promoters and globalization enthusiasts.

— bret stephens, New York Times, "Foreign Policy From the Dark Side," 28 Mar. 2018
The big-box department store, located mainly in strip centers, has avoided widespread investor pessimism that has pummeled competitors' stock.

— chicago tribune, chicagotribune.com, "'Speed up or die' is the new reality for US apparel retailers," 26 Mar. 2018
The big-box department store, located mainly in strip centers, has avoided widespread investor pessimism that has pummeled competitors’ stock.

— lindsey rupp, Bloomberg.com, "‘Speed Up or Die’ Is the New Reality for U.S. Apparel Retailers," 21 Mar. 2018

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

borrowed from French pessimisme, from Latin pessimus "worst" + French -isme -ism, formed by analogy with optimisme optimism; Latin pessimus, probably going back to *pedisamos, derivative (with -isamos, superlative suffix, going back to Italic & Celtic *-ism̥mos) of *ped-, extracted from *ped-tu- "a fall, falling" (whence Latin pessum "to the bottom, to destruction"), verbal noun from an Indo-European base *ped- "step, fall," whence, with varying ablaut grades, Old English gefetan "to fall," Old Church Slavic padǫ, pasti, Sanskrit padyate "(s/he) falls, perishes"

Note: The Indo-European verbal base *ped- is generally taken to be a derivative of the noun *pōd-, ped- "foot"; see ¹foot.

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1815

See Words from the same year