pessimism
noun
pes·si·mism
| \ ˈpe-sə-ˌmi-zəm also ˈpe-zə-
\
\
Definition of pessimism
1
: an inclination to emphasize adverse aspects, conditions, and possibilities or to expect the worst possible outcome
2a
: the doctrine that reality is essentially evil
b
: the doctrine that evil overbalances happiness in life
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Examples of pessimism in a Sentence
Although the economy shows signs of improving, a sense of pessimism remains.
Recent Examples on the Web
The yield on the 10-year Treasury note fell to 1.85 percent, its lowest level since 2016, in a sign of economic pessimism. — New York Times, "Spiraling Trade Tensions Threaten Economy as Trump Pressures China," 2 Aug. 2019 However, the letter is an indication that harsher tactics could be around the corner, especially coming on the heels of vocal White House pessimism about virtual currency. — Irina Ivanova, CBS News, "IRS goes after cryptocurrency owners for unpaid taxes," 26 July 2019 Despite their pessimism, the numbers tell a different story of expansion. — Shaan Amin, The New Republic, "Can the Left Win YouTube?," 2 July 2019 Even so, the improvements for black men run counter to the drumbeat of pessimism about race in America. — The Economist, "Black men in America are living almost as long as white men," 14 June 2019 And coupled with a sell-off in December last year, market pessimism is palpable for some investors. — Anne Sraders, Fortune, "Droves of Investors Are Missing the Bull Market—Here’s Why," 15 July 2019 In the film, Christian's unfettered desire for Satine awakens her pessimism and doubt, and while the story has shifted, this essential point about their connection remains. — Suzy Evans, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Moulin Rouge!' Stars Aaron Tveit and Karen Olivo Go Deeper and Darker on Stage," 1 July 2019 And overall there was also more pessimism than optimism that the two sides could get along. — CBS News, "CBS News Eye on Trends: The latest from the CBS News Election & Survey Unit," 26 June 2019 And the main determinant of these feelings in almost any investment portfolio will be the stock market since stocks can swing wildly from optimism to pessimism, from booms to busts, and from high levels to low levels. — Ben Carlson, Fortune, "Worried About Recession? Here are 3 Ways Investors Can Decrease Stock Market Risk," 26 June 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pessimism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for pessimism
pessimism
noun
English Language Learners Definition of pessimism
: a feeling or belief that bad things will happen in the future : a feeling or belief that what you hope for will not happen
See the full definition for pessimism in the English Language Learners Dictionary
pessimism
noun
pes·si·mism
| \ ˈpe-sə-ˌmi-zəm
\
\
Kids Definition of pessimism
: a feeling or belief that things are usually bad or that bad things will happen
pessimism
noun
pes·si·mism
| \ ˈpes-ə-ˌmiz-əm also ˈpez-\
Medical Definition of pessimism
: an inclination to emphasize adverse aspects, conditions, and possibilities or to expect the worst possible outcome
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