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

These roles required an adult grasp of lust and jealousy and nihilism. —James Marcus, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025

This nihilism cuts deep, as does a cameo from popular personality Quenlin Blackwell as herself. —Alison Herman, Variety, 30 Oct. 2025

At its core, slop invites a kind of nihilism into all aspects of our life. —Charlie Warzel, The Atlantic, 20 Oct. 2025

Unlike nihilism, with which cosmicism shares some similarities, the focus is on how small and incidental humanity is. —Big Think, 14 Oct. 2025

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
• statism
• sufism
• thomism
• tourism
• tropism
• abolitionism
• aldosteronism
• americanism

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