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
Americans are expressing some of the deepest, broadest, and stubbornest economic pessimism ever recorded.
—
Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026
The pessimism is a rational response to an incomplete view.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
Taking over from Frank and without Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, Christian Norgaard and Mark Flekken, there was pessimism around Brentford maintaining their mid-table and, in some cases, even top-flight status.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Respondents pointed to the potential harms of AI on creativity and relationships and expressed pessimism about its impact on education and jobs.
—Kevin Breuninger,annie Palmer, CNBC, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pessimism
Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026
The pessimism is a rational response to an incomplete view.
—Vibhas Ratanjee, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026
Taking over from Frank and without Mbeumo, Yoane Wissa, Christian Norgaard and Mark Flekken, there was pessimism around Brentford maintaining their mid-table and, in some cases, even top-flight status.
—Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Respondents pointed to the potential harms of AI on creativity and relationships and expressed pessimism about its impact on education and jobs.
—Kevin Breuninger,annie Palmer, CNBC, 20 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pessimism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimism
Noun
-
Not to be outdone, Vikingo hit a desperation crucifix driver.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
-
The Phillies still trailed, and the move reeked of desperation from Mattingly, who is desperate because his team cannot score runs.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
The relationships Anaya and her teammates created will long outlast the sadness from getting outplayed Friday.—
Ethan Hanson,
Daily News,
30 May 2026
-
In a Facebook post, the Islamic Center drew connections between the holiday, the community’s sadness and the sacrifice the men made.—
Roxana Popescu,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 May 2026
Noun
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For Gordon Sheach, founder of Scotland fans’ website The Tartan Scarf, his first memory of football set the precedent for two decades of despair and disillusionment.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
3 June 2026
-
The pulse of Royals fans is despair as the season has gone off the rails.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Amidst the sorrow of the past eight years, Ronnie and Lydia vowed to never stop searching for their granddaughter.—
James C Ramos,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 May 2026
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Officials have shared their sorrow and paid tribute to the victims of the accident.—
Adam England,
PEOPLE,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
There is much doom-and-gloom about this, including that some refer to the probability of doom, known as p(doom), when discussing the existential risks of AI.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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But as things stand right now, in the gloom of June, San Francisco is clearly the third-best team in its own division, behind the now-Super Bowl favorite Rams and the defending-champion Seahawks.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Schizophrenia, bipolar, autism, anxiety, depression – all of these topics are almost global bestsellers.—
Jon LaPook,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
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Environmental conditions appear conducive for additional development, and a tropical depression is likely to form in early June, Berg wrote.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
30 May 2026
Noun
-
There’s a general cynicism to most things.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
4 June 2026
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Earned and justified cynicism aside, Beuerlein firmly believes that the Cowboys should be good.—
Mac Engel
June 4,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
Absent the lush melancholy of classic synth-pop, what Hervé and Amato had in common with their forbears was a spirit of innovation rooted in profound laziness.—
Walden Green,
Pitchfork,
23 May 2026
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While the actors are committed, poignant and warm, their upbeat tone doesn’t always blend well with the melancholy of the picture.—
Tomris Laffly,
Variety,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pessimism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pessimism. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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