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
But the heightened pessimism spreads across all subgroups of younger Americans, including men and those who haven’t attended college.
—
Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
One area where Goldman explicitly revises its prior pessimism is jobs — though not in the direction AI boosters would prefer.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 May 2026
Church was not inclined to Cole’s pessimism.
—Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Even the reasons for public pessimism and expert optimism about the technology are hotly debated.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pessimism
Nicholas Riccardi, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
One area where Goldman explicitly revises its prior pessimism is jobs — though not in the direction AI boosters would prefer.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 6 May 2026
Church was not inclined to Cole’s pessimism.
—Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Even the reasons for public pessimism and expert optimism about the technology are hotly debated.
—Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for pessimism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimism
Noun
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In desperation, Layla calls her estranged sister Shams (Abeer Mohammed), living in territory governed by the other side.—
Jay Weissberg,
Variety,
17 May 2026
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On her third match point, Svitolina dug a ball out of the corner, chased one down near the service line, then charged the net and blocked the final ball past Gauff with a desperation stab.—
Matthew Futterman,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
The prospect filled me with surprising sadness.—
Hannah Goldfield,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
The bittersweet tale infused with humor and sadness chimed with the Cannes audience.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Condal also saw what was happening and felt despair.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
20 May 2026
-
Farmers in despair Without insurance, Kongphan, an immigrant from Thailand, has been trying to obtain government aid and figure out how to level earth moved by the floodwaters.—
Jennifer Sinco Kelleher,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Yet this book is written more in sorrow than in anger.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 May 2026
-
Late in the picture, a display of kindness from the elderly Catalan woman Lucila looks after introduces an unexpected reciprocity of care — even with those unfamiliar with her sorrows and the intricacies of her cultural background.—
Carlos Aguilar,
IndieWire,
13 May 2026
Noun
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Even as Gen Z faces a labor market mired in uncertainty, receiving mixed signals about how AI will reshape the future of work, Upwork President and CEO Hayden Brown is not doom-and-gloom.—
Jacqueline Munis,
Fortune,
19 May 2026
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Kieran Trippier has been one of those players for Newcastle United; a ripple-maker, a gloom-buster and a standard-bearer.—
George Caulkin,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
Noun
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Data from one primary care clinic in Los Angeles, shared exclusively with NPR, shows a sharp rise in anxiety, depression and suicidal thoughts among patients.—
Rhitu Chatterjee,
NPR,
17 May 2026
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Chronic circadian misalignment is associated with a 30-40% higher risk of cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, depression and anxiety.—
Allison Palmer,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 May 2026
Noun
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The real stars here are John Kander and Fred Ebb, who penned a score that drips with melodic aspiration and lyrical cynicism, and Bob Fosse, whose erotically muscular choreography is the perfect match.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
11 May 2026
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Reasonable minds can disagree, though, and cynicism seems hasty.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 May 2026
Noun
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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
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These flashes of melancholy or yearning give the record complexity and depth, as well as stopping it from devolving into wackiness.—
Alastair Shuttleworth,
Pitchfork,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pessimism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pessimism. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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