PESSIMISM Synonyms: 76 Similar and Opposite Words

pessimism

noun

Definition of pessimism

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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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 pessimism Phrasemaking is perhaps no contribution to the intellectual heritage of the race, but phrasemakers do snap us out of lethargy, and frequently out of ingrowing pessimism, which may be worse than frenzy. — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026 Many leaders are managing this kind of pessimism right now, and research explains why. — Harvard Business Review, 22 Sep. 2026 Curiosity will get you farther than optimism or pessimism alone. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026 Workers on this Labor Day feel a growing sense of dissatisfaction and pessimism. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 7 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pessimism

Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimism

Noun

Hearings, trials, interviews—these are the contexts from which audience derives, and the word retains echoes of desperation.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
Pettersson’s desperation check worked, as Greer spilled the puck into the high slot, where Lekkerimäki was waiting.

— Thomas Drance, New York Times, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of desperation

Noun

Tsai, the Stanford professor, has conducted research on how emotion in American culture puts value on trying to always feel positive and minimizing negativity and sadness.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
Survey findings About 28% of Gaston respondents reported moderate or higher levels of negative emotions such as sadness, anxiety, anger or boredom, compared with roughly 10% in Union, Venkitasubramanian said.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of sadness

Noun

But genuinely funny moments are rare, badly outnumbered by done-to-death musings regarding the mysteries of being alive and torturous melodramatic moments in which Klara dully absorbs the severity of Josie’s illness and Chrissy’s sorrow.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
Crystal’s deep and profound sorrow at the loss of his director and friend Rob Reiner, not to mention Robin WIlliams, are very much present in the show.

— Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of sorrow

Noun

His dip in the polling this month seems less attributable to any new policy position or statements than to just a general gloom among California residents about the state’s direction, Baldassare said.

— Andrew Graham October 27, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
The director general was attempting to lift the gloom after being beset with questions from anxious employees about job losses, service reductions, and general retrenchment.

— Max Goldbart, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of gloom

Noun

By contrast, Alzheimer’s disease typically is associated with memory and language loss, and is more associated with apathy and depression than with anxiety.

— Iris Kwok, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
The authors note that high-functioning depression is not an official diagnosis in the DSM-5, the manual clinicians use to diagnose mental health conditions.

— Allison Aubrey, NPR, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of depression

Noun

The vestiges of his fading memory flash by with a haunting plainness, the melancholy of all this Americana and the sadness of a mind ravaged by time strike the viewer plainly at the end of this maximalist piece of life-writing.

— Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
The question for me is whether or not Lloyd will also manage to capture the melancholy of a deceptively serious play, notwithstanding its reputation.

— Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of melancholy

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pessimism

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“Pessimism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pessimism. Accessed 31 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of pessimism

noun

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