What does pessimist mean?
A pessimist is someone who tends to expect unfavorable outcomes and gives particular attention to risks, difficulties, or the possibility that things will go wrong. The word can describe an individual’s general outlook, as in “a cautious pessimist,” or a broader perspective, as in “the market was dominated by pessimistic investors.” It is often contrasted with an optimist, who is more inclined to expect positive results. Being a pessimist is not necessarily the same as being cynical: pessimism focuses primarily on likely negative outcomes, while cynicism often involves distrust of people, institutions, or motives. In ordinary use, the word may be either descriptive or mildly critical, depending on the context. It can also be used attributively in phrases such as “pessimist forecast” and “pessimist assumptions.”
nounA pessimist is someone who expects the worst to happen and tends to emphasize difficulties, risks, or unfavorable outcomes. The term can describe a person’s outlook or, attributively, a general tendency toward pessimistic expectations.
- A person who expects the worst to happen.
- A person who habitually emphasizes difficulties, risks, or unfavorable possibilities.
- Attributively, a person characterized by this outlook or tendency.
"Despite the setbacks, she remained hopeful and refused to be called a pessimist."
"The pessimist predicted that every attempt would fail."
"Economists warned that the pessimistic view of the economy could become self-fulfilling."
The plural is formed by adding -s to the singular form.
"The two pessimists declined to predict a quick recovery."
A pessimist sees the storm clouds; an optimist sees the rain—and looks for the rainbow.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of pessimist
The word comes through French from Latin pessimista, a form based on pessimus, meaning “worst.” The related Latin noun pessimum meant the “worst” or the “lowest point,” from which English pessimism and pessimistic also developed. The English word pessimist became established in the late 18th century, alongside the wider philosophical and literary use of pessimism.
How pessimist is actually used
The term is common in general English and can be used neutrally or critically. It describes an expectation of unfavorable outcomes, but does not necessarily imply that the person is bitter, hostile, or unwilling to act.
Easily confused with pessimist
A pessimist generally expects bad outcomes, whereas a cynic is especially distrustful of people’s motives and skeptical of human nature.