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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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
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
In another survey, optimists were 40% more likely to get promoted over the next year, six times more likely to be highly engaged at work and five times less likely to burn out than pessimists.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pessimist
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
In another survey, optimists were 40% more likely to get promoted over the next year, six times more likely to be highly engaged at work and five times less likely to burn out than pessimists.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pessimist
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimist
Noun
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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
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However, cynics have long predicted that AVs will flounder among the flocks of cyclists in European cities such as Amsterdam.—
Carlton Reid,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2025
Noun
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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
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After all, what is a mindful consumer if not a realist?—
Calin Van Paris,
Outside Online,
6 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Pessimist.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pessimist. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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