pessimism

Pessimism is a belief that things are mostly bad.

(noun)

An example of pessimism is seeing a glass as half empty instead of optimism when the glass is seen as half full.

See pessimism in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

Philos.
1. the doctrine or belief that the existing world is the worst possible
2. the doctrine or belief that the evil in life outweighs the good
the tendency to expect misfortune or the worst outcome in any circumstances; practice of looking on the dark side of things

Origin: Fr pessimisme < L pessimus, worst, superl. of pejor, worse: see pejorative

Related Forms:

See pessimism in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A tendency to stress the negative or unfavorable or to take the gloomiest possible view: “We have seen too much defeatism, too much pessimism, too much of a negative approach” (Margo Jones).
The doctrine or belief that this is the worst of all possible worlds and that all things ultimately tend toward evil.
The doctrine or belief that the evil in the world outweighs the good.

Origin:

Origin: French pessimisme (on the model of optimisme, optimism)

Origin: , from Latin pessimus, worst; see ped- in Indo-European roots

Related Forms: