as in nihilistic
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as in fatalist
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Recent Examples of nihilist
Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
Benjamin Voisin won Best Actor for his performance as the novel’s nihilist protagonist Meursault.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 18 Jan. 2026
There’s no nihilist energy in the song.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
Curt Devine, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Sirāt was the only Neon contender to miss out on a Best Picture spot at the Globes (its noms came in Non-English Language and Score), adding to the feeling that this nihilist epic is the title most at risk of missing with Oscar.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
The activist Left is, in truth, nihilist.
—Ayaan Hirsi Ali, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
New meme shows 'nihilist penguin' walking to a mountain.
—Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
Benjamin Voisin won Best Actor for his performance as the novel’s nihilist protagonist Meursault.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 18 Jan. 2026
There’s no nihilist energy in the song.
—David Browne, Rolling Stone, 29 Aug. 2025
Noun
As criminal cases have increased against members of violent nihilist groups, related abuse reports have also risen.
—Curt Devine, CNN Money, 10 Feb. 2026
Sirāt was the only Neon contender to miss out on a Best Picture spot at the Globes (its noms came in Non-English Language and Score), adding to the feeling that this nihilist epic is the title most at risk of missing with Oscar.
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 12 Dec. 2025
The activist Left is, in truth, nihilist.
—Ayaan Hirsi Ali, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nihilist
Adjective
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Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles FBI field office, said the number of nihilistic violent extremists targeting children is growing nationwide.—
Brittny Mejia,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Industry has a darker, more nihilistic worldview.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
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But the fatalist in me feels like this stuff is coming.—
Selome Hailu,
Variety,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Craig Robinson is Reggie’s nemesis, as the aforementioned Jerry Basmati, a rival player (and cynical Christian), who inherited the post-gridiron media career Reggie imagined for himself.—
Television Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
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To some leaders of the Council, President Harry Truman’s early recognition of the Jewish state in 1948 was not a great human-rights advance but a cynical gambit to pander to a bloc of voters and improve his chance of being reëlected in 1948.—
Nicholas Lemann,
New Yorker,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
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However, those cynics didn’t sound as enlightened when the Rockets were up 18 early in the fourth quarter Saturday night.—
William Guillory,
New York Times,
22 Feb. 2026
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This is not a home for doomers, cynics, or know-it-alls.—
Daphne Koller,
Big Think,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Known for his spare, unforgiving style and darkly comic fatalistic sensibility, along with his penchant for leather jackets, lots of smoking and a deadpan sense of humor, Tarr was a quintessential arthouse filmmaker.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
-
There was this kind of fatalistic view that there was not that much that could be done.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
18 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Welch was not a rabid anti-communist, just a realist who wanted to protect Fisher by ensuring this past association would not be used against him.—
Kristen Monroe,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
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Instead, the network is a literal series of trains, waystations, and safe houses — a magical realist gesture from Whitehead’s book that Jenkins brings to striking life here.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Brunson, ever the pragmatist, preferred not to take that chance.—
Tom Kludt,
Vanity Fair,
17 Feb. 2026
-
As a candidate, Klobuchar faced stories of disgruntled Senate staffers who described her as a difficult boss but also distinguished herself on crowded debate stages as a determined pragmatist.—
Bill Barrow,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nihilist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nihilist. Accessed 2 Mar. 2026.
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