nihilism

noun
UK: /ˈnaɪɪlɪzəm/
US: /ˈnaɪ(h)ɪlɪzəm/

  1. The belief that life is meaningless and that there are no moral principles.

    1. His nihilism made him hard to connect with others around him.
    2. The character's embrace of nihilism is a reflection of societal disillusionment.

  2. The rejection of religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is pointless.

    1. She struggled against the nihilism that threatened to consume her.
    2. The punk movement sometimes expressed a form of cultural nihilism.

  3. The belief that nothing has any value, especially religious and moral principles.

    1. His art reflects the modern nihilism so prevalent in society today.
    2. Some philosophers view existentialism as a response to the pervasiveness of nihilism.

Synonyms

skepticism pessimism cynicism denial rejection disbelief negation negativism agnosticism existentialism

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "nihilism" in English means: The belief that life is meaningless and that there are no moral principles., The rejection of religious and moral principles, often in the belief that life is pointless., The belief that nothing has any value, especially religious and moral principles..

The phonetic transcription of "nihilism" is /ˈnaɪɪlɪzəm/ in British English and /ˈnaɪ(h)ɪlɪzəm/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "nihilism": skepticism, pessimism, cynicism, denial, rejection, disbelief, negation, negativism, agnosticism, existentialism.

Example usage of "nihilism": "His nihilism made him hard to connect with others around him.". More examples on the page.