1
as in cynic
one who emphasizes bad aspects or conditions and expects the worst
she's such a pessimist that she's convinced she'll fail every test
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in misanthrope
a person who distrusts other people and believes that everything is done for selfish reasons
a true pessimist, he's convinced that there will be wars as long as there are people to wage them
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pessimist
But that doesn’t stop a chorus of pessimists from emerging amid periods of market volatility.
—
Luke Andriuk, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
In contrast, pessimists often miss opportunities by holding cash.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2025
The power basketball conferences have dominated, and because power means football, and football means money, specifically more NIL money to use as tokens for players to use the NCAA transfer portal, pessimists see the mid-majors such as San Diego State on life support.
—Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2025
Unfortunately, given the stakes of the question, no one really knows whether the optimists or the pessimists have the better case.
—Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021
See All Example Sentences for pessimist
Luke Andriuk, Forbes.com, 14 May 2025
In contrast, pessimists often miss opportunities by holding cash.
—Michael Khouw, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2025
The power basketball conferences have dominated, and because power means football, and football means money, specifically more NIL money to use as tokens for players to use the NCAA transfer portal, pessimists see the mid-majors such as San Diego State on life support.
—Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 5 Apr. 2025
Unfortunately, given the stakes of the question, no one really knows whether the optimists or the pessimists have the better case.
—Gideon Rose, Foreign Affairs, 16 Feb. 2021
See All Example Sentences for pessimist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimist
Noun
-
But crypto companies have long maintained that digital currencies are a new, innovative financial product that needs its own set of rules — rules that critics and cynics say the crypto sector would like to shape to its advantage by spending heavily in elections.—
Rafael Nam,
NPR,
19 July 2025
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Gunn and Safran and all of Warner Bros can rest easy after the cynics’ snarking over the first trailer back in December.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
10 July 2025
Noun
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While optimistic about the future, Wilson is also a realist.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 June 2025
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Like his fellow realist John Mearsheimer, a political scientist at the University of Chicago, Haslam identifies NATO’s expansion eastward as a wound to Russia’s pride.—
Samuel Moyn,
Harpers Magazine,
16 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pessimist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pessimist. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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