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
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Recent Examples of pessimism
For example, studies show that the mechanisms for both optimism and pessimism lie in opposite parts of the brain, with the right hemisphere primarily driving pessimism and the left primarily driving optimism.
—
Dr. Deepika Chopra,
Flow Space,
16 June 2026
The pessimism exists for good reason, as Brazil’s journey to the World Cup was characterized by scandals off the pitch and underperformance on it.
—
Emile Nuh,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Spielberg has worked through times of national pessimism and optimism in the course of the past half century.
—
Hannah Jocelyn,
New Yorker,
11 June 2026
So much of the pessimism and the despair that fueled the piece has even greater purchase now.
—
Emily Watlington,
ARTnews.com,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pessimism
Dr. Deepika Chopra,
Flow Space,
16 June 2026
The pessimism exists for good reason, as Brazil’s journey to the World Cup was characterized by scandals off the pitch and underperformance on it.
—
Emile Nuh,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
Spielberg has worked through times of national pessimism and optimism in the course of the past half century.
—
Hannah Jocelyn,
New Yorker,
11 June 2026
So much of the pessimism and the despair that fueled the piece has even greater purchase now.
—
Emily Watlington,
ARTnews.com,
10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for pessimism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimism
Noun
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Tensions flared Saturday as desperation grew among anguished residents of the Venezuelan state of La Guaira, where rescuers and civilians searched for earthquake survivors amid a sharply rising death toll.
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But the show repeatedly undercuts that point of view by halfway reinforcing the age-old American assumption that crime is born of poor individual choices among an uncivilized populace, not of poverty, desperation, and preservation, both self and communal.
Noun
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Each room explores a different human emotion — joy and love, fear and hope, sadness and gratitude, anger and resilience.
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Working again with collaborators Adrian Utley (Portishead) and Shahzad Ismaily (Ceramic Dog) and joined by Nick Hakim and drummer Tom Skinner (the Smile), Orton uses The Ground Above to create weighty songs that deal with both joy and sadness.
Noun
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Rather than wallow in the despair of his wife's death, Robin decided to start Kay Days, a non-profit that pays for patients' parking on select days and during the week of his beloved wife's birthday.
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That poor driver had to listen to me sniffle in shameful despair all the way back to the city.
Noun
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Kara is addicted to drowning her sorrows and avoiding responsibility, but learns to embrace heroism after embarking on a quest for revenge alongside Ruthye (Eve Ridley).
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Parting is such sweet sorrow, but these guys aren’t going gently into the night just yet.
Noun
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The broader mood tracks right alongside, with 40% expecting AI to be bad for society over the next twenty years against 16% who expect good, the gloom running deepest among adults under 30, and 63% saying the whole thing is moving too fast.
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The partying turned to gloom after the temblors.
Noun
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About 10% of fathers develop symptoms like depression and anxiety during the perinatal period, which lasts from pregnancy through the first year after childbirth.
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Many Americans rely on ACA coverage to afford medications to treat various diseases such as diabetes, asthma, depression and autoimmune diseases.
Noun
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There was an element of cynicism, but not on the part of determined prosecutors who overcame obstacles and brought the case to guilty pleas by three defendants and the conviction on 21 counts of the public official who ignited the scandal.
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Some cynicism should be allowed.
Noun
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Beneath all the sensuality and beauty, there’s also a lingering melancholy that feels very familiar to me.
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Early Years Eichenberg recounted his childhood with some melancholy.
Cite this Entry
“Pessimism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pessimism. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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