1
as in hopeless
emphasizing or expecting the worst
with that pessimistic attitude, it's no wonder you're depressed
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cynical
having or showing a deep distrust of human beings and their motives
pessimistic about the prospects for a lasting peace in the area
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Recent Examples of pessimistic
Even in the happiest countries, people often remain pessimistic about the kindness displayed within their communities.
—
Juliette Han, Phd, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Skittish consumers Small businesses are coping with the tariffs just as Americans are growing more pessimistic about the economy, with consumer confidence slumping to a 12-year low last month.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2025
Also, recent sentiment surveys have shown households are more pessimistic about their job prospects and financial situations due to tariffs.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025
What causes bear markets? Bear markets tend to happen when investors are feeling particularly pessimistic about the future of the economy.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pessimistic
Juliette Han, Phd, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Skittish consumers Small businesses are coping with the tariffs just as Americans are growing more pessimistic about the economy, with consumer confidence slumping to a 12-year low last month.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2025
Also, recent sentiment surveys have shown households are more pessimistic about their job prospects and financial situations due to tariffs.
—Bloomberg, Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2025
What causes bear markets? Bear markets tend to happen when investors are feeling particularly pessimistic about the future of the economy.
—Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pessimistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimistic
Adjective
-
Feeling hopeless in her quest to stop Crawford and help Delia get her life back, Elsbeth confronts the boastful judge, who is riding high on his rising star and his triumph over her.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2025
-
The hopeless woman grasps her head with one hand and checks her baby’s cheek with the other.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Lee’s cynical cardsharp of a brother, Julius (Jacob Elordi), was meant to be part of that dream move, but the call of gambling takes Julius to Las Vegas instead.—
Robert Abele,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2025
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Now, posters are more cynical and there’s a fatalist bent to the conversations that wasn’t there before.—
Fortesa Latifi,
Rolling Stone,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But if your reflection is limited to replaying the negative parts of your social interactions and perpetuating feelings of shame or self-criticism, that’s less constructive, says Janeé Steele, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in Kalamazoo, Michigan.—
Seraphina Seow,
Vogue,
17 Apr. 2025
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The evidence for this is her (few) actions at the tournament, which are being construed as overwhelmingly negative.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
17 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pessimistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pessimistic. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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