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单词 pessimism
释义

Definition of pessimism in English:

pessimism

noun ˈpɛsɪmɪz(ə)mˈpɛsəˌmɪzəm
mass noun
  • 1A tendency to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen.

    the dispute cast an air of deep pessimism over the future of the peace talks
    Example sentencesExamples
    • The same markets that were enormously hyped a year ago are now the subject of deep pessimism.
    • Why is it that every new cinematic vision of the future is bathed in pessimism and bleakness?
    • We have found that a deliberative mindset induced greater realism and not more pessimism.
    • To suggest we are on the edge of defeat is to yield to unreasonable pessimism.
    • Invariably over the next couple of weeks there will be bouts of optimism and pessimism in world financial markets.
    • There's no cause for pessimism, we should believe in ourselves and use that self-belief to choose now and irrevocably the path of reform.
    • The deep pessimism which infects the classic Cold War novel gives way to a complacence born of the hero's capacity to survive.
    • That guarded optimism has been replaced by downright pessimism because the bottom of the decline is still not in sight.
    • At the same time, public pessimism about the future of health systems is growing.
    • The birth rate is the lowest in Europe, reflecting deep pessimism about the future and the astonishingly high cost of housing.
    • Despite my pessimism I still believe that the situation can be resolved.
    • To recognize that war is inevitable is not pessimism, but political realism.
    • Official optimism was replaced by a searching and comparatively realistic pessimism.
    • Yet there is reason to believe that the pessimism about the East German economy is overdone.
    • I believed that no situation could be made better by pessimism or worry.
    • Optimism turns to pessimism and a growing sense of helplessness, however, as funds are depleted and rejection letters arrive.
    • In this peculiarly modern mood of social pessimism, the end is believed to be nigh but never comes.
    • Its uncertain start has only confirmed Scottish pessimism about the possibility of change.
    • Throughout the conversation, Blondel expressed a deep pessimism about the future.
    • But just because the mood of social pessimism is so ubiquitous does not mean we should simply accept it.
    Synonyms
    defeatism, negative thinking, negativity, expecting the worst, doom and gloom, gloom, gloominess
    hopelessness, lack of hope, cynicism, fatalism, depression, despair, melancholy, despondency, dejection, angst, distrust, doubt
    German Weltschmerz
    informal looking on the black side
  • 2Philosophy
    A belief that this world is as bad as it could be or that evil will ultimately prevail over good.

    Example sentencesExamples
    • Schopenhauer was the high priest of philosophical pessimism.
    • Hobbes and Cavendish shared pessimism about human nature, and an anxiety about ethical and linguistic relativism.
    • Nietzsche saw himself breaking away from Schopenhauer's pessimism by rejecting what he saw as his monism.
    • If pessimism has a spiritual godfather it is perhaps the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer.
    • Kant's pessimism was based on his conception of the nature of living organisms.

Origin

Late 18th century: from Latin pessimus 'worst', on the pattern of optimism.

  • optimism from mid 18th century:

    Philosophers in the 18th century coined optimism for the theory that this is the best of all possible worlds. The word goes back to Latin optimum ‘best thing’. By the early 19th century it had gained wider currency, and was being used to mean a general tendency to hope for the best. The opposite, pessimism (from Latin pessimus ‘worst’), was also coined in the 18th century, when it meant ‘the worst possible state or condition’.

 
 

Definition of pessimism in US English:

pessimism

nounˈpesəˌmizəmˈpɛsəˌmɪzəm
  • 1A tendency to see the worst aspect of things or believe that the worst will happen; a lack of hope or confidence in the future.

    the dispute cast an air of deep pessimism over the future of the peace talks
    Example sentencesExamples
    • The deep pessimism which infects the classic Cold War novel gives way to a complacence born of the hero's capacity to survive.
    • Optimism turns to pessimism and a growing sense of helplessness, however, as funds are depleted and rejection letters arrive.
    • I believed that no situation could be made better by pessimism or worry.
    • The birth rate is the lowest in Europe, reflecting deep pessimism about the future and the astonishingly high cost of housing.
    • At the same time, public pessimism about the future of health systems is growing.
    • The same markets that were enormously hyped a year ago are now the subject of deep pessimism.
    • But just because the mood of social pessimism is so ubiquitous does not mean we should simply accept it.
    • We have found that a deliberative mindset induced greater realism and not more pessimism.
    • Invariably over the next couple of weeks there will be bouts of optimism and pessimism in world financial markets.
    • That guarded optimism has been replaced by downright pessimism because the bottom of the decline is still not in sight.
    • Why is it that every new cinematic vision of the future is bathed in pessimism and bleakness?
    • Official optimism was replaced by a searching and comparatively realistic pessimism.
    • Yet there is reason to believe that the pessimism about the East German economy is overdone.
    • To recognize that war is inevitable is not pessimism, but political realism.
    • Its uncertain start has only confirmed Scottish pessimism about the possibility of change.
    • Throughout the conversation, Blondel expressed a deep pessimism about the future.
    • To suggest we are on the edge of defeat is to yield to unreasonable pessimism.
    • Despite my pessimism I still believe that the situation can be resolved.
    • In this peculiarly modern mood of social pessimism, the end is believed to be nigh but never comes.
    • There's no cause for pessimism, we should believe in ourselves and use that self-belief to choose now and irrevocably the path of reform.
    Synonyms
    defeatism, negative thinking, negativity, expecting the worst, doom and gloom, gloom, gloominess
    1. 1.1Philosophy A belief that this world is as bad as it could be or that evil will ultimately prevail over good.
      Example sentencesExamples
      • If pessimism has a spiritual godfather it is perhaps the German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer.
      • Nietzsche saw himself breaking away from Schopenhauer's pessimism by rejecting what he saw as his monism.
      • Kant's pessimism was based on his conception of the nature of living organisms.
      • Schopenhauer was the high priest of philosophical pessimism.
      • Hobbes and Cavendish shared pessimism about human nature, and an anxiety about ethical and linguistic relativism.

Origin

Late 18th century: from Latin pessimus ‘worst’, on the pattern of optimism.

 
 
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更新时间:2024/9/20 13:24:30