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
-
Vegas pulled Carter Hart with about three minutes to go, officially entering desperation mode, but nothing worked, and Nikolaj Ehlers scored an empty-netter to start the party.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
15 June 2026
-
Much of what looks like desperation is closer to opportunity and overlap.—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
14 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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
His high point will be long forgotten, disastrously undone by his successor to plunge the world into recession, if not depression.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
14 June 2026
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Tasks can include smelling dangerously high or low glucose levels, smelling mood swings, anxiety and depression, smelling an impending seizure and many other tasks.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
14 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
-
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 19 Jun. 2026.
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