pessimist
/'pesimist/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A person who tends to see the worst aspect of things or believes that the worst will happen: A pessimist is someone who generally expects bad outcomes and focuses on problems and difficulties rather than hopes or positive possibilities.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- He is such a pessimist that he always expects the project to fail.
- Don't be a pessimist; the situation might improve.
- As a pessimist, she was not surprised by the negative news.
Advanced Usage
Philosophical Pessimist: In philosophy, a pessimist may hold a specific worldview that life is inherently more prone to suffering than happiness.
- The philosopher Schopenhauer is often described as a pessimist.
Economic Pessimist: Someone who consistently predicts downturns or negative trends in financial markets.
- The economist was labeled a pessimist for his constant warnings of a recession.
Variants and Related Words
Pessimism (n): The general tendency or belief that bad things will happen; a negative outlook.
- His pessimism about the future was disheartening to his friends.
Pessimistic (adj): Having or showing a lack of hope for the future; expecting the worst.
- She gave a pessimistic assessment of the company's chances.
Synonyms
- Defeatist: A person who expects or is too ready to accept failure.
- Cynic: A person who believes that people are motivated purely by self-interest; often used to describe someone with a generally negative or distrustful outlook.
- Doomsayer: A person who predicts disaster or bad outcomes.
Antonyms
- Optimist: A person who tends to be hopeful and confident about the future or the success of something.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- Glass half empty: A common metaphor for a pessimistic outlook, focusing on what is lacking rather than what is present.
- She sees the glass as half empty, while her brother sees it as half full.
Noun
- a person who expects the worst