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
So much of the pessimism and the despair that fueled the piece has even greater purchase now.
—
Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 10 June 2026
Betting Odds Their schedule is brutal, making the pre-schedule optimism rapidly fade into pessimism.
—Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett painted a rosy picture of the economy Sunday, downplaying Americans' growing pessimism about the economy amid high gas prices and rising inflation as the Iran war goes on.
—Ford McCracken, ABC News, 31 May 2026
As food insecurity increases, the researchers found that there has also been an increase in consumer pessimism.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pessimism
Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 10 June 2026
Betting Odds Their schedule is brutal, making the pre-schedule optimism rapidly fade into pessimism.
—Gladys Louise Tyler, Forbes.com, 6 June 2026
National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett painted a rosy picture of the economy Sunday, downplaying Americans' growing pessimism about the economy amid high gas prices and rising inflation as the Iran war goes on.
—Ford McCracken, ABC News, 31 May 2026
As food insecurity increases, the researchers found that there has also been an increase in consumer pessimism.
—Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 28 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pessimism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimism
Noun
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Electing Talarico would be like connecting on one of those last-second, desperation, alley-oop passes in the end zone.—
Mark Barabak,
Mercury News,
20 June 2026
-
This match finally picked up in the second half, reflecting the desperation each side had after losing their opening matches.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
His profound sadness and rage give the audience permission to feel similarly.—
Ronda Racha Penrice,
HollywoodReporter,
15 June 2026
-
The Spurs accrued a 10-point lead at that point, blitzing the Knicks with the type of pressure expected from a team that was a loss away from an offseason filled with sadness.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Paula turns on a dime, expertly masks her horror, stress, and despair, and puts on a smile for her little girl.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
-
What happened last night was a double dip of despair.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 June 2026
Noun
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But the book’s ruminative watchfulness is unsuccessfully conjugated in this overly sedate play with music, which has the feel of a song cycle, though sung by the fine cast with gorgeous, lonely sorrow.—
Brian Seibert,
New Yorker,
19 June 2026
-
At times the longing feels sweet and the search like a little sorrow.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 June 2026
Noun
-
For a few hours, there's no doom and gloom on the news, no family drama, no Slack notifications, no people fighting about dumb stuff on social media.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
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The first thing many visitors see from their airplane windows is the giant LUMEN screaming up through the Seattle gloom.—
Les Carpenter,
Washington Post,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, cognitive decline, and impaired immune function.—
Ezekiel J. Emanuel,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
-
American men are less likely than women to be diagnosed with depression, but four times more likely to die by suicide – a disparity that, researchers say, indicates many are suffering in silence.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
21 June 2026
Noun
-
The cynicism and paranoia of the '70s are ever-present, exploring America's moral decay amid troubled times.—
Eric Farwell,
Entertainment Weekly,
12 June 2026
-
Nothing breeds cynicism like fake consultation.—
Belonging Forum,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Noun
-
Beneath all the sensuality and beauty, there’s also a lingering melancholy that feels very familiar to me.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
16 June 2026
-
Early Years Eichenberg recounted his childhood with some melancholy.—
Jessica George,
JSTOR Daily,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pessimism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pessimism. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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