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 country’s internet regulator on Monday unveiled a two-month nationwide campaign aimed at curbing pessimism trending on social media, live-streaming and short-video platforms.
—
John Liu, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
An unwinding of pessimism in the options pits could keep the tailwinds blowing.
—Schaeffer's Investment Research, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Other findings were more moderate than the pessimism on future unemployment.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
The attack underlined growing pessimism in Ukraine and among allies that the war can be ended any time soon, with Russian President Vladimir Putin resisting calls for a ceasefire and emboldened by strengthening relations with China.
—Lidia Kelly, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pessimism
John Liu, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2025
An unwinding of pessimism in the options pits could keep the tailwinds blowing.
—Schaeffer's Investment Research, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Other findings were more moderate than the pessimism on future unemployment.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
The attack underlined growing pessimism in Ukraine and among allies that the war can be ended any time soon, with Russian President Vladimir Putin resisting calls for a ceasefire and emboldened by strengthening relations with China.
—Lidia Kelly, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pessimism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimism
Noun
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Facing fourth-and-4 at its 49-yard line, Grunkemeyer faced an all-out blitz and his desperation pass fell incomplete.—
Scott Dochterman,
New York Times,
19 Oct. 2025
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Seminoles backup Kevin Sparry, a true freshman, completed a desperation 53-yard pass to Micahi Danzy to the Stanford 9 with two seconds left, and then the Cardinal were called for pass interference in the end zone on the next play, setting FSU up at the 2 for an untimed down.—
Harold Gutmann,
Mercury News,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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But the sadness at seeing Nuno depart does not equate to an anti-Postecoglou sentiment.—
Paul Taylor,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Any book that centers love, friendship, dependence, entwinement, with humor, grace, sadness, pathos, that has such immense warmth and care at the core, is the best kind of book to me.—
Emily Temple,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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There is no faster poison than despair declared permanent.—
Mohammed R. Mhawish,
New Yorker,
14 Oct. 2025
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The opening introduces her character aglow in red light, complemented by a narrated monologue, vaguely written but delivered as pure, possibly suicidal despair.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Running underneath all of our efforts was heartache, sorrow, and anxiety over her loss.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
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In early Christian thinking, its connotations of languor and listlessness, within the spirit no less than the body, lent it the status of a sin—a turning aside from God for the sake of earthly sorrow.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Not all is doom and gloom with this astrological transit.—
Lisa Stardust,
Refinery29,
14 Oct. 2025
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The weather is finally shifting to match the season, but celebrity beauty isn’t falling into the gloom.—
Essence,
Essence,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The connection appeared to be partly explained by higher levels of a gut bacterium called Eggerthella, a bacterium previously linked to inflammation and found in greater abundance among people with depression.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
18 Oct. 2025
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Often, doctors don't connect symptoms like depression or suicidal thoughts to the drug.—
Pranjal Malewar,
New Atlas,
18 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Gone is the cynicism that clouded the Biden era.—
Faisal J. Abbas,
semafor.com,
16 Oct. 2025
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There’s a troubling cynicism at work here, in which many alt-travel influencers are following the rightward shift of their young male audiences and creating content to placate them.—
T. M. Brown,
New Yorker,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The manager who is so often the picture of calm had reddened eyes, a hint of melancholy in his voice.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
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The pop icon’s 12th album, released at midnight on Friday, is being hailed for the singer’s return to upbeat pop following last year’s melancholy The Tortured Poets Department, with Swift reuniting with Swedish hitmaker producers Max Martin and Shellback.—
James Hibberd,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pessimism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pessimism. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.
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