ni·hil·ism

(nī′ə-lĭz′əm, nē′-)

1. Philosophy The doctrine that nothing actually exists or that existence or values are meaningless.

2. Relentless negativity or cynicism suggesting an absence of values or beliefs: nihilism in postwar art.

a. Political belief or action that advocates or commits violence or terrorism without discernible constructive goals.

b. also Nihilism A diffuse, revolutionary movement of mid-19th-century Russia that scorned authority and tradition and believed in reason, materialism, and radical change in society and government through terrorism and assassination.

4. Psychiatry A delusion, experienced in some mental disorders, that the world or one's mind, body, or self does not exist.

[Latin nihil, nothing; see ne in Indo-European roots + -ism.]

ni′hil·ist n.

ni′hil·is′tic adj.

ni′hil·is′ti·cal·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	nihilist - someone who rejects all theories of morality or religious belief nonreligious person - a person who does not manifest devotion to a deity
	2.	nihilist - an advocate of anarchism anarchist, syndicalist radical - a person who has radical ideas or opinions

nihilist

noun

1. cynic, sceptic, atheist, pessimist, agnostic, unbeliever Ripley has become a world-weary nihilist.

2. anarchist, revolutionary, extremist, agitator At heart, he's a revolutionist, an anarchist, a nihilist.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

Nihilist

nihilist

[ˈnaɪɪlɪst] N → nihilista mf

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

nihilist

[ˈnaɪɪlɪst] n → nihiliste mf

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

nihilist

n → Nihilist(in) m(f)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

nihilist

[ˈnaɪɪlɪst] n → nichilista m/f

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Father was branded as a nihilist and an anarchist, and in one cartoon that was copied widely he was portrayed waving a red flag at the head of a mob of long-haired, wild-eyed men who bore in their hands torches, knives, and dynamite bombs.

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Perhaps the word is misused, and he is better described as a nihilist, or an annihilist.

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A Nihilist who rejects all authority, because he knows authority to be evil, and welcomes all pain, because through that he realises his personality, is a real Christian.

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"No, they are not Nihilists," explained Lebedeff, who seemed much excited.

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In the cabin were arms and ammunition, and hidden in a secret receptacle in the cabin table was one of those infernal machines, the construction of which had occupied much of Paulvitch's spare time when he had stood high in the confidence of the Nihilists of his native land.

View in context

What is the good of mixing yourself up with these Nihilists? Do give over, little father.

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He, like everyone, had heard that there were, especially in Petersburg, progressives of some sort, nihilists and so on, and, like many people, he exaggerated and distorted the significance of those words to an absurd degree.

View in context

Donald Trump is a nihilist: he disdains all moral principles and

Nihilism Grips the World: Thanks, Evangelicals!

The researchers were careful to stress that their findings don't mean all conservatives are livin' the dream and every liberal is a nihilist. And while religion certainly does play a substantial role in giving people's lives purpose (doing God's will, securing tickets to paradise, etc.), they note that personal characteristics and current mood also affect feelings of purpose and wellbeing.

CHAOS VS. CONTROL

He discusses the true world, cynic nihilism, Paul's world, Paul: nihilist or overman, Nietzsche's world, Heidegger's world, and parrhesia.

Nihilism and Philosophy: Nothingness, Truth and World

She's living with her mother Barb (Bridget Everett) and grandma (Cathy Moriarty, who was Vicki LaMotta in Raging Bull ), taking terrible jobs in bars and restaurants while pursuing her rap career with supporting artistes Hareesh (Siddarth Dhananjay) and nihilist punk performance artist Bob (Mamoudou Athie).

'Patti Cake$' film review: A heartwartmer