Someone who is pessimistic thinks that bad things are going to happen.
Not everyone is so pessimistic about the future. [+ about]
Hardy has often been criticised for an excessively pessimistic view of life.
...one of the most pessimistic forecasts of the year.
Synonyms: gloomy, dark, despairing, bleak More Synonyms of pessimistic
pessimistically (pesɪmɪstɪkli)adverb [ADVERB with verb]
'But it'll not happen,' she concluded pessimistically.
pessimistic in American English
(ˌpɛsəˈmɪstɪk)
adjective
of or characterized by pessimism; expecting the worst
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈcynical
Derived forms
pessimistically (ˌpessiˈmistically)
adverb
Examples of 'pessimistic' in a sentence
pessimistic
The second view is pessimistic and fearful.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The pessimistic view is that they are preparing to pull money out of the country.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But this is to take the most pessimistic view and to advance the minimum case for action.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Such pessimistic notes have often quickly been followed by some fresh insight or intriguing argument.
Andrew Bridgeford 1066: and the Hidden History of the Bayeux Tapestry (2004)
He is pessimistic about the future.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Overall, are you hopeful or pessimistic about the future for religious freedom?
Christianity Today (2000)
Six weeks is the pessimistic view with Baines.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
It is a pessimistic view of the five-day game that cannot be brushed aside as scaremongering.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
As long as the scandals keep coming, few will question his pessimistic view.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He accused champagne houses of harming the region's reputation through excessively pessimistic talk.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
We're hopelessly pessimistic about life expectancy.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
I take a more pessimistic view.
Michael Boulter EXTINCTION: Evolution and the End of Man (2002)
He laughs grimly when I ask whether he is optimistic or pessimistic about the future.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
I personally take a pessimistic view about anybody's ability to fix anybody else much older thanabout four.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
But I also know you have to find the positives in a situation and stop being so pessimistic with life.
The Sun (2010)
The pessimistic view is that the oil price increase has been caused by a real shortage, because of the growth in demand from China.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
A vicious circle would establish itself, in which the condition of the patients and the pessimistic views of the nursing staff regarding their recovery became mutually reinforcing.
Dylan Evans PLACEBO: The Belief Effect (2003)
It is possible that this will turn out to be the case, of course, just as the earlier more pessimisticviews might have been right.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
In other languages
pessimistic
British English: pessimistic /ˈpɛsɪˌmɪstɪk/ ADJECTIVE
Someone who is pessimistic thinks that bad things are going to happen.
People are now more pessimistic about the future.
American English: pessimistic
Arabic: مُتَشَائِمٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: pessimista
Chinese: 悲观的
Croatian: pesimističan
Czech: pesimistický
Danish: pessimistisk
Dutch: pessimistisch
European Spanish: pesimista
Finnish: pessimistinen
French: pessimiste
German: pessimistisch
Greek: απαισιόδοξος
Italian: pessimistico
Japanese: 悲観的な
Korean: 비관적인
Norwegian: pessimistisk
Polish: pesymistyczny
European Portuguese: pessimista
Romanian: pesimist
Russian: пессимистический
Latin American Spanish: pesimista
Swedish: pessimistisk
Thai: ที่มองโลกในแง่ร้าย
Turkish: kötümser
Ukrainian: песимістичний
Vietnamese: bi quan
Chinese translation of 'pessimistic'
pessimistic
(pɛsɪˈmɪstɪk)
adj
[person, attitude]悲观(觀)的 (bēiguān de)
to be pessimistic about sth对(對)某事感到悲观(觀) (duì mǒushì gǎndào bēiguān)
(adjective)
his excessively pessimistic view of life
Synonyms
gloomy
He is gloomy about the fate of the economy.
dark
His endless chatter kept me from thinking dark thoughts.
despairing
a despairing couple who turned to a therapist for help
bleak
The immediate outlook remains bleak.
resigned
sad
The loss left me feeling sad and empty.
depressed
He seemed somewhat depressed.
cynical
He has a very cynical view of the world.
hopeless
Even able pupils feel hopeless about job prospects.
melancholy
It was at this time of day that I felt most melancholy.
glum
What are you both looking so glum about?
dejected
Everyone has days when they feel dejected or down.
foreboding
despondent
He often felt despondent after these meetings.
morose
She was morose, pale and reticent.
fatalistic
distrustful
downhearted
Don't be so downhearted.
misanthropic
Opposites
optimistic
,
bright
,
assured
,
hopeful
,
cheerful
,
buoyant
,
exhilarated
,
cheery
,
sanguine
,
in good heart
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bleak
Definition
offering little hope
The immediate outlook remains bleak.
Synonyms
dismal,
black,
dark,
depressing,
grim,
discouraging,
gloomy,
hopeless,
dreary,
sombre,
unpromising,
disheartening,
joyless,
cheerless,
comfortless
in the sense of cynical
Definition
sarcastic or sneering
He has a very cynical view of the world.
Synonyms
sceptical,
mocking,
ironic,
sneering,
pessimistic,
scoffing,
contemptuous,
sarcastic,
sardonic,
scornful,
distrustful,
derisive,
misanthropic,
mordacious,
misanthropical
in the sense of dark
Definition
(of thoughts or ideas) gloomy or sad
His endless chatter kept me from thinking dark thoughts.
Synonyms
gloomy,
sad,
grim,
miserable,
low,
bleak,
moody,
dismal,
pessimistic,
melancholy,
sombre,
morbid,
glum,
mournful,
morose,
joyless,
doleful,
cheerless
Synonyms of 'pessimistic'
pessimistic
Explore 'pessimistic' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of dejected
Definition
in low spirits
Everyone has days when they feel dejected or down.
Synonyms
downhearted,
down,
low,
blue,
sad,
depressed,
miserable,
gloomy,
dismal,
melancholy,
glum,
despondent,
downcast,
morose,
disheartened,
wretched,
disconsolate,
crestfallen,
doleful,
down in the dumps (informal),
cast down,
sick as a parrot (informal),
woebegone,
low-spirited
in the sense of depressed
Definition
low in spirits
He seemed somewhat depressed.
Synonyms
sad,
down,
low,
blue,
unhappy,
discouraged,
fed up,
moody,
gloomy,
pessimistic,
melancholy,
sombre,
glum,
mournful,
dejected,
despondent,
dispirited,
downcast,
morose,
disconsolate,
crestfallen,
doleful,
downhearted,
heavy-hearted,
down in the dumps (informal),
cheerless,
woebegone,
down in the mouth (informal),
low-spirited
in the sense of despairing
a despairing couple who turned to a therapist for help
Synonyms
hopeless,
desperate,
depressed,
anxious,
miserable,
frantic,
dismal,
suicidal,
melancholy,
dejected,
broken-hearted,
despondent,
downcast,
grief-stricken,
wretched,
disconsolate,
inconsolable,
down in the dumps (informal),
at the end of your tether
in the sense of despondent
Definition
dejected or depressed
He often felt despondent after these meetings.
Synonyms
dejected,
sad,
depressed,
down,
low,
blue,
despairing,
discouraged,
miserable,
gloomy,
hopeless,
dismal,
melancholy,
in despair,
glum,
dispirited,
downcast,
morose,
disheartened,
sorrowful,
wretched,
disconsolate,
doleful,
downhearted,
down in the dumps (informal),
sick as a parrot (informal),
woebegone,
low-spirited
in the sense of downhearted
Definition
sad and discouraged
Don't be so downhearted.
Synonyms
dejected,
sad,
depressed,
unhappy,
blue,
discouraged,
dismayed,
despondent,
dispirited,
downcast,
disheartened,
sorrowful,
crestfallen,
sick as a parrot (informal),
low-spirited,
chapfallen
in the sense of glum
Definition
gloomy and quiet, usually because of a disappointment
What are you both looking so glum about?
Synonyms
gloomy,
miserable,
dismal,
down,
low,
melancholy,
dejected,
downcast,
morose,
doleful,
downhearted,
down in the dumps (informal),
down in the mouth,
in low spirits,
chapfallen,
sour,
moody,
crabbed,
pessimistic,
grumpy,
sullen,
surly,
churlish,
sulky,
crestfallen,
saturnine,
huffy,
ill-humoured
in the sense of hopeless
Definition
having or offering no hope
Even able pupils feel hopeless about job prospects.
Synonyms
pessimistic,
desperate,
despairing,
forlorn,
in despair,
abject,
dejected,
wretched,
despondent,
demoralized,
defeatist,
disconsolate,
downhearted
in the sense of melancholy
Definition
characterized by, causing, or expressing sadness
It was at this time of day that I felt most melancholy.
Synonyms
sad,
down,
depressed,
unhappy,
low,
blue,
miserable,
moody,
gloomy,
dismal,
sombre,
woeful,
glum,
mournful,
dejected,
despondent,
dispirited,
melancholic,
downcast,
lugubrious,
pensive,
sorrowful,
disconsolate,
joyless,
doleful,
downhearted,
heavy-hearted,
down in the dumps (informal),
woebegone,
down in the mouth,
low-spirited
in the sense of morose
Definition
ill-tempered, sullen, and unwilling to talk very much