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
As food insecurity increases, the researchers found that there has also been an increase in consumer pessimism.
—
Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 28 May 2026
Stephen Bersey, head of technology research at HSBC, doesn’t agree with the pessimism, largely because much of the value of what the company sells comes from proprietary data and how deeply the programs are embedded across its customers’ enterprises.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
Those same groups also reported increases in pessimism regarding their financial well-being.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
In a roundabout way, the country’s affluence might be contributing to its pessimism.
—Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pessimism
Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 28 May 2026
Stephen Bersey, head of technology research at HSBC, doesn’t agree with the pessimism, largely because much of the value of what the company sells comes from proprietary data and how deeply the programs are embedded across its customers’ enterprises.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 May 2026
Those same groups also reported increases in pessimism regarding their financial well-being.
—Alicia Wallace, CNN Money, 27 May 2026
In a roundabout way, the country’s affluence might be contributing to its pessimism.
—Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 24 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pessimism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimism
Noun
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For me, the art was a distraction, an effort to generate excitement and sell extra tickets — something that the garden, which is attracting large numbers of visitors lately, no longer needs to do with such desperation.—
Ray Mark Rinaldi,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
-
This is a strategy born not of manly strength, but of submissive desperation.—
Helen Lewis,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
The news of his death was met with shock and sadness from fans, players and fellow broadcasters around the NBA.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2026
-
But sadness also, along with regret, surrounding Arguijo-Mejia.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Those raw emotions and moments of shared experience, which can be so hard to find in a fractured society, will be replicated all over the world in the coming weeks, bring families, communities and entire nations together, uniting them in hope, joy and, of course, despair.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
-
On the other side of the couch, Kyle sits staring at them both, alternating between anger and grief, and although Andy didn’t spend much time trying to peel back the layers of Kyle’s despair, his aimlessness is as much at the heart of this season as anything Amanda and West did.—
Kathryn VanArendonk,
Vulture,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Should this come to pass, Kennedy and his allies will have succeeded in Making Microbes Great Again—to our swift and deepening sorrow.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the crash, paying tribute to the military personnel killed.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Zesty mandarin and warm amber break through the June gloom, offering a cozy yet uplifting effect underlined by fragrant cardamom.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
InStyle,
4 June 2026
-
But beyond the doom and gloom, China’s soccer future may no longer depend solely on top-down ambition.—
Reagan Yip,
CNN Money,
3 June 2026
Noun
-
Most of the everyday usage of popular LLMs to get mental health advice usually involves people with relatively common cognitive issues, such as depression, anxiety, and the like.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
-
Her group provides services through Zoom and Google Meet to more than 7,000 adults and children coping with stressors such as cancer and chronic pain, as well as with anxiety, depression, and PTSD.—
Holly Dagres,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
Heastie is doing a disservice to New Yorkers and fostering cynicism about what goes on in Albany.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
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Still, in our age of political cynicism, sports and literature may be the last two places in our culture in which the American myths feel truthful.—
Sam Evan Sussman,
Vogue,
10 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 13 Jun. 2026.
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