pessimist

noun pes·si·mist \ ˈpe-sə-mist also ˈpe-zə- \

|Updated on: 13 Jun 2018

Definition of pessimist

plural pessimists

: a person who is inclined to expect poor outcomes : someone who is given to pessimism

… such was the success of the first venture that many must now be optimistic where most were pessimists at the beginning of the year and for several years before.
—Francis Byrne

For pessimists, the heavens offer a host of doomsday scenarios—an asteroid crashing into Earth or deadly cosmic rays raining down on the planet.
—R. Cowen

See pessimist defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of pessimist from the Web

Everybody has a view: for or against; optimist or pessimist; fear-monger or Panglossian technophile.

— fred pearce, Time, "How the 'Compulsive Secrecy’ of the Atomic Age Has Changed the Way We Think," 22 May 2018
The Celtics beat the point spread after losses far more often than the Nets did; the optimists responded to losses far better than the pessimists did.

— andrew beaton, WSJ, "It’s Never Been Sunnier in Philadelphia," 2 May 2018
Inevitably, a new set of pessimists now voice a fresh worry: that bond yields might go on rising for less welcome reasons.

— The Economist, "The outlook for US government debt," 12 Apr. 2018
For example, Canadians are becoming more negative on the economy’s outlook, with pessimists outnumbering optimists.

— theophilos argitis, Bloomberg.com, "Consumer Confidence Takes a Hit With Canada’s Economy Gearing Down," 5 Mar. 2018
The pessimist would point out, though, that Waiters and Wall have long-term contracts and defined roles in Miami and Washington, respectively.

— ben golliver, SI.com, "Isaiah Thomas’s Nightmare Contract Year Sputters to a Close With Season-Ending Surgery," 28 Mar. 2018
Note to viewers: Don’t let the pessimists get you down.

— dennis kneale, WSJ, "A Guide to TV’s ‘Fall’ Season," 25 Mar. 2018
Even pessimists acknowledged that Trump's hard line against Pyongyang, after decades of less forceful U.S. effort, played a significant role in moving one of the world's most vexing and threatening problems in a potentially positive direction.

— the washington post, OregonLive.com, "Trump secures a diplomatic coup with North Korea -- for now," 9 Mar. 2018
Even pessimists acknowledged that Trump’s hard line against Pyongyang, after decades of less forceful U.S. effort, played a significant role in moving one of the world’s most vexing and threatening problems in a potentially positive direction.

— james hohmann, Washington Post, "The Daily 202: Trump launches a rescue mission to save GOP seat in Pennsylvania special election," 9 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pessimist.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.