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nihilistic

adjective

as in cynical

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of nihilistic For many, the former Harvard professor was the face of the psychedelic revolution — brilliant but manic, addictive, paranoid, nihilistic, and antiestablishment. — Claire Hoffman, Rolling Stone, 21 Sep. 2026 In Bird and Goldmark’s account (these collaborators are also married), the nihilistic, amoral, duplicitous, power-seeking Roy Marcus Cohn makes Niccolò Machiavelli seem like a rank amateur. — Martin Filler, The New York Review of Books, 15 Sep. 2026 Over the summer, Europol ran a campaign to target nihilistic violent extremist content online. — The Week Uk, TheWeek, 9 Sep. 2026 No political motive was given for his rampage, according to an EU document on the emerging threat of nihilistic extremist violence. — Lorne Cook, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026 Snatch is far more clever than many similar ensemble capers, with a real nasty edge that remains comedic rather than nihilistic. — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026 Spinks has spent years investigating and documenting nihilistic violent extremists and reported Spitze’s concerning online footprint to law enforcement. — Hudson Crozier, The Washington Examiner, 20 Aug. 2026 What comes off as cavalier risk-taking is really a cover for something much more nihilistic. — Alison Herman, Variety, 14 Aug. 2026 Swatting is just one criminal element associated with 764, which federal authorities have characterized as a network of nihilistic violent extremists. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nihilistic
  1. cynical
  2. fatalistic
  3. nihilist
  4. pessimistic
Adjective
  • Swarup’s book exposes the cynical nature of the quiz show, dangling a literal lifeline to desperate people for the sake of entertainment.
    — L.M. Chilton, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Myriad people inside Warner Bros are cynical about the capping of severances and the fact that only a few at the top are bound for a post-merger windfall.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of cynical
Adjective
  • But Still Coming Down isn’t a fatalistic album as a whole, just a pragmatic one.
    — Shaad D’Souza, Pitchfork, 27 Aug. 2026
  • The film follows Niaz (Bakhtadze), a once-famous star of Georgian cinema who embarks on a bizarre and fatalistic odyssey of self-transformation, after an unsettling audition with a young female director looking to cast him in a minor part.
    — Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of fatalistic
Adjective
  • 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.
    — Alice Xiang, Time, 6 May 2026
  • 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.
    — Hua Hsu, New Yorker, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of nihilist
Adjective
  • Californians are deeply pessimistic about the direction of the state and nation, expecting tough economic times and are sour on both major political parties, according to a new poll.
    — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Along with her equally intellectual and sardonic (some may even say pessimistic) best friend Jane, Daria provided a terrifically entertaining rebuke to late ’90s and early aughts culture.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of pessimistic

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Cite this Entry

“Nihilistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nihilistic. Accessed 30 Sep. 2026.

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