noun. A tendency to stress the negative or unfavorable or to take the gloomiest possible view.

noun. The doctrine or belief that this is the worst of all possible worlds and that all things ultimately tend toward evil.

noun. The doctrine or belief that the evil in the world outweighs the good.

noun. In metaphysics:

noun. The doctrine that this world is the worst possible.

noun. The doctrine that the development of the universe has such a law that it must ultimately reach, or at least tend toward, the same nonexistence from which it sprang.

noun. The tendency to exaggerate in thought the evils of life, or to look only upon its dark side; a melancholy or depressing spirit or view of life.

noun. The worst possible condition; the point of greatest deterioration.

noun. The opinion or doctrine that everything in nature is ordered for or tends to the worst, or that the world is wholly evil; -- opposed to optimism.

noun. A disposition to take the least hopeful view of things.

noun. A general belief that bad things will happen.

noun. The doctrine that this world is the worst of all possible worlds.

noun. the feeling that things will turn out badly

noun. a general disposition to look on the dark side and to expect the worst in all things

"I used just now the term pessimism; but that was doubtless in a great measure because I have been turning over a collection of the extraordinarily vivid drawings of Honoré Daumier."

optimism  

pessimist  pessimistic  

disposition  temperament  

antagonism  atheism  boredom  cynicism  despondency  

Schmerz  Slough of Despond  anxiety  apprehension  blank despondency