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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Recent Examples of pessimist
The pessimist would say the school can't win.
—
CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
And in recent weeks, AI bubble pessimists have rallied around Michael Burry, the hedge-fund investor who made hundreds of millions of dollars betting against the housing market in 2008.
—Bobby Allyn, NPR, 23 Nov. 2025
That sensibility is countered by Dina’s, who plays the romantic foil to Liberty’s pessimist.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
But don’t listen to the pessimists who say there is no cure.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pessimist
CBS News, 14 Jan. 2026
And in recent weeks, AI bubble pessimists have rallied around Michael Burry, the hedge-fund investor who made hundreds of millions of dollars betting against the housing market in 2008.
—Bobby Allyn, NPR, 23 Nov. 2025
That sensibility is countered by Dina’s, who plays the romantic foil to Liberty’s pessimist.
—Tom Smyth, Vulture, 5 Nov. 2025
But don’t listen to the pessimists who say there is no cure.
—Christina Dugan Ramirez, FOXNews.com, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pessimist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimist
Noun
-
The dollar amount was chosen arbitrarily based on what voters might accept, and some cynics saw it as a move by a pro-development commission to cozy up to environmentalists.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
9 Mar. 2026
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The move there, after four years in Washington and eight years as mayor of South Bend, drew sneers from cynics: The governorship and a Senate seat were opening up, and there was talk of Buttigieg’s running for one or the other.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Curry is the ultimate realist and the ultimate dreamer.—
Sports Columnist,
San Francisco Chronicle,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Welch was not a rabid anti-communist, just a realist who wanted to protect Fisher by ensuring this past association would not be used against him.—
Kristen Monroe,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pessimist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pessimist. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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