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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Recent Examples of pessimistic
Colombia is not only a polarized nation, but also a pessimistic one.
—
Mie Hoejris Dahl, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Jan. 2025
The pessimistic case Even those within the AI industry acknowledged that businesses were struggling to make use of the technology, especially beyond areas such as coding, marketing and customer service.
—Ina Fried, Axios, 27 Jan. 2025
Those who make up the MAGA base tend to be pessimistic about America and look longingly back to a country that was friendlier to their outlook.
—Daniel Foster, National Review, 23 Jan. 2025
The consumer sentiment index plunged to its lowest level since November 2022 at 88.4 in December, signaling that consumers had turned pessimistic about the economy.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for pessimistic 
Mie Hoejris Dahl, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Jan. 2025
The pessimistic case Even those within the AI industry acknowledged that businesses were struggling to make use of the technology, especially beyond areas such as coding, marketing and customer service.
—Ina Fried, Axios, 27 Jan. 2025
Those who make up the MAGA base tend to be pessimistic about America and look longingly back to a country that was friendlier to their outlook.
—Daniel Foster, National Review, 23 Jan. 2025
The consumer sentiment index plunged to its lowest level since November 2022 at 88.4 in December, signaling that consumers had turned pessimistic about the economy.
—Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 22 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for pessimistic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pessimistic
Adjective
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But as dire as all of this is, the situation is not hopeless.—
Lawrence Norden,
TIME,
12 Feb. 2025
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Cancer: Henry Roth from 50 First Dates As a hopeless romantic with a nurturing heart, Henry Roth embodies the personality traits of a Cancer.—
Athena Sobhan,
People.com,
11 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Israel's President Isaac Herzog described the release ceremony as cynical and vicious.—
Hussam al-Masri,
USA TODAY,
10 Feb. 2025
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He’s been given every reason to be angry, frustrated, and cynical, toward the specific people coming after him and the world at large.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
10 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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That’s what happened in Cleveland, where business advocates didn’t see much negative impact to local shops simply because there weren’t many there to begin with, Shah recalls.—
Elliott Wenzler,
The Denver Post,
16 Feb. 2025
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For some pets, especially those with past negative experiences, loud noises, sudden movements, or aggressive tones can be triggering.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
16 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near pessimistic
Cite this Entry
“Pessimistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pessimistic. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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