as in desperation
a feeling or belief that bad things will happen in the future; a feeling or belief that what you hope for will not happen
She has expressed pessimism over the outcome of the trial. Although the economy shows signs of improving, a sense of pessimism remains. He expressed his pessimism about politics and politicians.
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Recent Examples of pessimism
The closest the Genesee came to pessimism was a Dylan T-shirt or two in the lobby with a skeleton wearing a top hat.
—
Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Unlike pessimism, which helps humans survive by imagining worst-case scenarios, optimism can more effectively solve problems in the modern world, says behavioral scientist and psychologist Deepika Chopra.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026
Funding for that fee waiver expires with the end of the ongoing budget year in June — and transportation officials expressed pessimism the new budget will include $450,000 needed to keep the program going.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
One reason may be a deep pessimism about what is possible.
—Audrey Sasson, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pessimism
Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 31 Mar. 2026
Unlike pessimism, which helps humans survive by imagining worst-case scenarios, optimism can more effectively solve problems in the modern world, says behavioral scientist and psychologist Deepika Chopra.
—Brittney Melton, NPR, 31 Mar. 2026
Funding for that fee waiver expires with the end of the ongoing budget year in June — and transportation officials expressed pessimism the new budget will include $450,000 needed to keep the program going.
—David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2026
One reason may be a deep pessimism about what is possible.
—Audrey Sasson, New York Daily News, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pessimism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimism
Noun
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The freshmen went back in forth, but Illinois missed its last three desperation attempts and UConn made five of its six free throws down the stretch.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Deftly drawing from folk, soul, blues, funk and country, Armatrading sings of love lost, won and desired, heady aspirations and quiet desperation, in a deep, richly moving voice.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Curtis revealed that Annie, who welcomed her baby boy with husband Jason Wolf in December, was able to take the grief and sadness of losing her godparents and birth as a new beginning.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
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There will be deaths, of characters as well as relationships, but McInerney’s always-sharp insights on social strata and human nature guarantee that in the midst of sadness we are also entertained.—
Bethanne Patrick,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
April, a season of hope for many, was always a month of despair for them.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Nastiness can be framed as a function of mourning a loved one, as with Dorinda’s rants on RHONY; or despair over personal crises, as with RHOC star Shannon Beador’s DUI and car crash.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
HollywoodReporter,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Anna ends up at a hotel bar, ordering a burger and a beer, eating her sorrows away.—
Jocelyn Noveck,
Boston Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The doom-and-gloom predictions of the education establishment, long lined up at the trough, haven’t come to pass.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
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The same goes for a doom-and-gloom attitude about aging, which experts said often leads to fewer health-promoting activities.—
Currie Engel,
Health,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This sharp satire of the entertainment industry tackles serious issues like addiction and depression while never skimping on the jokes.—
Andrew Walsh,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Apr. 2026
-
In 2024, Ryyan was diagnosed with depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD.—
Kennedy Cook,
CBS News,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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What makes Becky Shaw so fulfilling is its cynicism about love and its ruthless method of hurling those frustrations at its audience.—
Shania Russell,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Apr. 2026
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This journalistic cynicism amid government ham-handedness shattered something precious too.—
Gil Troy,
New York Daily News,
29 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The film’s empathetic interest in individual, often eccentric human lives gives it a warmth that overrides the underlying melancholy of the material, making for a pleasingly unsentimental crowdpleaser.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
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Some acknowledged the possibility that melancholy could be inherited.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pessimism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pessimism. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
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