as in cynical
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Recent Examples of nihilistic
But there was this paradox in this basic idea that this menacing, nihilistic person [Nile Jarvis] actually infuses her with life.
—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
15 June 2026
Investigators are continuing to build a picture of the two suspects in the deadly Monday shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego which killed three people, and which law enforcement officials say may have been driven by nihilistic and accelerationist extremism.
—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
In season three, this argument has largely taken a cynical, nihilistic turn.
—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
18 May 2026
Looksmaxxing embraces superficiality and body dysmorphia, an alarmingly nihilistic online trend that prioritizes physical attractiveness above all else.
—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
People were getting tired of dark, nihilistic films.
—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
16 May 2026
This Man on Fire isn’t designed to be a complex, brutal, nihilistic portrait of vigilantism and violence.
—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2026
Margo’s Got Money Troubles premiered the same week as the third season of HBO’s nihilistic teen drama Euphoria, in which Sydney Sweeney’s dead-eyed Cassie has taken to the popular subscription service, dressing up as a seductive puppy and even a pacifier-sucking baby.
—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
The senior attending physician’s behavior has worried many in the hospital as he's appeared more nihilistic and short-tempered than usual.
—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
15 June 2026
Investigators are continuing to build a picture of the two suspects in the deadly Monday shooting at the Islamic Center of San Diego which killed three people, and which law enforcement officials say may have been driven by nihilistic and accelerationist extremism.
—
Emily Shapiro,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
In season three, this argument has largely taken a cynical, nihilistic turn.
—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
18 May 2026
Looksmaxxing embraces superficiality and body dysmorphia, an alarmingly nihilistic online trend that prioritizes physical attractiveness above all else.
—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
People were getting tired of dark, nihilistic films.
—
Mike Fleming Jr,
Deadline,
16 May 2026
This Man on Fire isn’t designed to be a complex, brutal, nihilistic portrait of vigilantism and violence.
—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Apr. 2026
Margo’s Got Money Troubles premiered the same week as the third season of HBO’s nihilistic teen drama Euphoria, in which Sydney Sweeney’s dead-eyed Cassie has taken to the popular subscription service, dressing up as a seductive puppy and even a pacifier-sucking baby.
—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
The senior attending physician’s behavior has worried many in the hospital as he's appeared more nihilistic and short-tempered than usual.
—
Raven Brunner,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nihilistic
Adjective
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Traditionally cynical and perceptive commentators—not to mention a lot of tired citizens—found themselves, in some accounts, overcome by an unexpected wave of patriotic sentimentality that washed away, at least for a moment, their gnawing doubts.
-
Heston is at his most gleefully cynical as Robert Thorn, a police detective who lives and works in a New York City decimated by environmental deterioration and dwindling resources.
Adjective
-
By contrast, Whitehead was fatalistic.
-
Many, though, are fearful about what is to come at the World Cup — and fatalistic about the future.
Adjective
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Advertisement Just as Nietzsche warned of the dangers of a nihilist moral void leading to societal decay, the current disregard for responsible data practices could erode trust in institutions and perpetuate systemic inequalities.
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Our impressively multicultural team of street racers now freelance in the shadowy and complex world of covert ops, jetting around the world to take down an increasingly unhinged array of nihilist supervillains.
Adjective
-
Recent polls show majority of voters are pessimistic about the economy and a lasting peace deal with Iran.
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Despite this, the staff report from the meeting expressed a pessimistic financial outlook for the town.
Cite this Entry
“Nihilistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nihilistic. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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