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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pessimistic
By contrast, those who are pessimistic are most likely to cite concerns about his character.
—
Andrew Torgan, CNN, 15 Dec. 2024
Unlike Celeste, and unlike Howard Roark in Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, who stood for the artist’s right to individual integrity, Toth’s psychosis derives from a pessimistic view of history.
—Armond White, National Review, 3 Jan. 2025
More specifically about Matheson’s father, his son writes at various times of how pessimistic his dad was.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
The media, our social media feeds and our most pessimistic friends fill us with doom and gloom stories.
—Axios, 25 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pessimistic 
Andrew Torgan, CNN, 15 Dec. 2024
Unlike Celeste, and unlike Howard Roark in Ayn Rand’s The Fountainhead, who stood for the artist’s right to individual integrity, Toth’s psychosis derives from a pessimistic view of history.
—Armond White, National Review, 3 Jan. 2025
More specifically about Matheson’s father, his son writes at various times of how pessimistic his dad was.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
The media, our social media feeds and our most pessimistic friends fill us with doom and gloom stories.
—Axios, 25 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for pessimistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimistic
Adjective
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Limit Media Exposure Without Putting Your Head in the Sand Staying informed is essential for leaders, but constantly consuming the news can leave you feeling overwhelmed and hopeless.—
Amy Blankson,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
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Collette plays Muriel, who escapes from her hopeless life via her devoted fandom to the Swedish supergroup.—
Mark Olsen,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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And the video was a next-gen, next level piece of moviemaking, a cinema verité of the raping of the American farm, a vast, cynical travesty played out in broad daylight in Reagan’s twisted America.—
SPIN Editors,
SPIN,
21 Jan. 2025
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Yet, there is an equally compelling reality: the risks Israel now faces by entering a deal with a cynical terrorist group that has shown time and again its commitment to destruction, and not to peace.—
Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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That may only trigger the negative tipping processes.—
Andy Extance,
Scientific American,
23 Jan. 2025
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Nearby residents have endured years of negative health impacts, including higher-than-average rates of lung cancer in the surrounding county, polluted air, and environmental degradation — all while thousands of tons of trash is trucked in and piled on to the mountain of garbage each day.—
Ryan Castalia,
New York Daily News,
23 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near pessimistic
Cite this Entry
“Pessimistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pessimistic. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
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