WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
pes•si•mism /ˈpɛsəˌmɪzəm/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable]
pes•si•mis•tic, adj.
pes•si•mis•ti•cal•ly, adv.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- the tendency to see only what is gloomy, or to expect the worst possible outcome.
pes•si•mis•tic, adj.
pes•si•mis•ti•cal•ly, adv.
pes•si•mism
(pes′ə miz′əm),USA pronunciation n.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026- the tendency to see, anticipate, or emphasize only bad or undesirable outcomes, results, conditions, problems, etc.:His pessimism about the future of our country depresses me.
- the doctrine that the existing world is the worst of all possible worlds, or that all things naturally tend to evil.
- the belief that the evil and pain in the world are not compensated for by goodness and happiness.
- Latin pessim(us), suppletive superlative of malus bad + -ism; modeled on optimism
- 1785–95
pes•si•mis•tic
(pes′ə mis′tik),USA pronunciation adj.
pes′si•mis′ti•cal•ly, adv.
- pertaining to or characterized by pessimism;
gloomy:a pessimistic outlook.
- pessimist + -ic 1865–70
- despairing, hopeless. See cynical.
'pessimistically' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):