noun
pessimism
PEH-sih-mih-zuhm
Pessimism (noun) means a general tendency to expect the worst outcome or to focus on the negative. Example: “His pessimism made it hard for him to enjoy even good news.”
noun
1
A general tendency to expect the worst outcome or to focus on the negative.
"His pessimism made it hard for him to enjoy even good news."
"There's growing pessimism about the housing market."
How to use pessimism
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishExpecting things to go badly — the opposite of optimism.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
growing pessimism
a sense of pessimism
economic pessimism
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Word forms
- Plural
- pessimisms
Fill the gap
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His _____ made it hard for him to enjoy even good news.
Etymology
From French pessimisme, ultimately from Latin pessimus ("worst"). The philosophical sense was popularized by the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer in the early 1800s.
Class of 1800
pessimism joined the language around 1800.
See the full Class of 1800 →
Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for pessimism
See all rhymes for pessimism →Frequently asked questions
What does “pessimism” mean?
The word “pessimism” means a general tendency to expect the worst outcome or to focus on the negative. In plain terms, expecting things to go badly — the opposite of optimism.
How do you pronounce “pessimism”?
“Pessimism” is pronounced PEH-sih-mih-zuhm (/ˈpɛsɪmɪzəm/ in IPA).
How do you use “pessimism” in a sentence?
Here is “pessimism” used in a sentence: “His pessimism made it hard for him to enjoy even good news.”
What is the opposite of “pessimism”?
The opposite of “pessimism” — its antonyms — is optimism.
What part of speech is “pessimism”?
“Pessimism” is a noun.
Where does the word “pessimism” come from?
The word “pessimism” dates back to around 1800 and comes from Latin. From French pessimisme, ultimately from Latin pessimus ("worst"). The philosophical sense was popularized by the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer in the early 1800s.
