Nihilist

/ˈnaɪɪlɪst/
noun

Someone who does not believe in anything, disregards beliefs, morals, and values.

The nihilist does not believe in any sort of inherent meaning in existence.
Visual representation of "nihilist" - Someone who does not believe in anything, disregards beliefs, morals, and values.

Often appears as...

  • cultural nihilist
  • existential nihilist
noun

Someone who thinks that traditional beliefs and values are meaningless, and that we should reject them.

Philosophical nihilists argue that life is without objective meaning.
Visual representation of "nihilist" - Someone who thinks that traditional beliefs and values are meaningless, and that we should reject them.

Often appears as...

  • philosophical nihilist
  • political nihilist

Usage tips

Academic

noun

A member of a Russian 19th-century revolutionary group that rejected established authority.

He was a full-on nihilist and firm believer in revolutionary propaganda.
Visual representation of "nihilist" - A member of a Russian 19th-century revolutionary group that rejected established authority.

Often appears as...

  • revolutionary nihilist
  • russian nihilist

Usage tips

Historical

noun

Someone who does not believe in anything, disregards beliefs, morals, and values.

The nihilist does not believe in any sort of inherent meaning in existence.
Visual representation of "nihilist" - Someone who does not believe in anything, disregards beliefs, morals, and values.

Often appears as...

  • cultural nihilist
  • existential nihilist
noun

Someone who thinks that traditional beliefs and values are meaningless, and that we should reject them.

Philosophical nihilists argue that life is without objective meaning.
Visual representation of "nihilist" - Someone who thinks that traditional beliefs and values are meaningless, and that we should reject them.

Often appears as...

  • philosophical nihilist
  • political nihilist

Usage tips

Academic

noun

A member of a Russian 19th-century revolutionary group that rejected established authority.

He was a full-on nihilist and firm believer in revolutionary propaganda.
Visual representation of "nihilist" - A member of a Russian 19th-century revolutionary group that rejected established authority.

Often appears as...

  • revolutionary nihilist
  • russian nihilist

Usage tips

Historical

Definition 1 of 3
Visual representation of "nihilist"
LampPro Tip 1/3

Emotional charge

Using 'nihilist' can express strong disapproval if the listener values beliefs and morals.

Illustration for Emotional charge
Calling someone a nihilist can be offensive; use it with caution.
LampPro Tip 2/3

Avoid confusion

Don't confuse 'nihilist' with 'atheist'; atheists disbelieve in gods, nihilists disbelieve in all values.

Illustration for Avoid confusion
Unlike an atheist, a nihilist may reject even secular systems of meaning.
LampPro Tip 3/3

Not just negative

'Nihilist' sometimes refers to a radical questioning or skepticism, not only negativity.

Illustration for Not just negative
As a nihilist, he questions all societal norms but doesn't necessarily dismiss them.
LampPro Tip 1/3

Emotional charge

Using 'nihilist' can express strong disapproval if the listener values beliefs and morals.

Illustration for Emotional charge
Calling someone a nihilist can be offensive; use it with caution.
LampPro Tip 2/3

Avoid confusion

Don't confuse 'nihilist' with 'atheist'; atheists disbelieve in gods, nihilists disbelieve in all values.

Illustration for Avoid confusion
Unlike an atheist, a nihilist may reject even secular systems of meaning.
LampPro Tip 3/3

Not just negative

'Nihilist' sometimes refers to a radical questioning or skepticism, not only negativity.

Illustration for Not just negative
As a nihilist, he questions all societal norms but doesn't necessarily dismiss them.
LampPro Tip 1/3

Emotional charge

Using 'nihilist' can express strong disapproval if the listener values beliefs and morals.

Illustration for Emotional charge
Calling someone a nihilist can be offensive; use it with caution.
LampPro Tip 2/3

Avoid confusion

Don't confuse 'nihilist' with 'atheist'; atheists disbelieve in gods, nihilists disbelieve in all values.

Illustration for Avoid confusion
Unlike an atheist, a nihilist may reject even secular systems of meaning.
LampPro Tip 3/3

Not just negative

'Nihilist' sometimes refers to a radical questioning or skepticism, not only negativity.

Illustration for Not just negative
As a nihilist, he questions all societal norms but doesn't necessarily dismiss them.
Visual representation of the word "Nihilist"

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Video examples

Words worth knowing from...

anti-immigration sound familiar but she suggested using it as a synonym for nihilism which i think is great cuz nihilist get really pissed off when you create new stuff and of course home I love it when Ted

Video examples

Words worth knowing from...

anti-immigration sound familiar but she suggested using it as a synonym for nihilism which i think is great cuz nihilist get really pissed off when you create new stuff and of course home I love it when Ted

Example 1 of 1

Quote examples

Tony Kushner

American Playwright

You have to have hope. It's irresponsible to give false hope, which I think a lot of playwrights are guilty of. But I also think it's irresponsible to simply be a nihilist, which quite a lot of playwrights, especially playwrights younger than me, have become guilty of.
Portrait of Tony Kushner

Quote examples

Billy Corgan

American Musician

I was raised a Christian, but I wouldn't call myself a Christian now. I think when I was younger it was easier to focus on the negative, nihilist vision... this is sort of picking up on the other half of the body, which is God and white light.
Portrait of Billy Corgan

Quote examples

Kim Cattrall

English Actress

If I didn't work in television or film, if I didn't have the right look, I never took it personally. Because there was always the theatre. I'm not a nihilist, I'm an optimist. And that has served me well in this profession.
Portrait of Kim Cattrall

Quote examples

Tom Burke

I feel like an expressionist nihilist deep in my heart. And I think nihilism can stop the wheel from going around, around, around, around, around - saying the same thing, reacting the same way.
Portrait of Tom Burke

Quote examples

Siddhartha Mukherjee

Indian Scientist

I think you would have to be a nihilist to say that we are not making progress on cancer, just like you'd have to be hubristically optimistic to say that we have conquered cancer.
Portrait of Siddhartha Mukherjee

Quote examples

Leonard Baskin

American Artist

Works of art produced in the contemporary world are a further expression of that. But I don't think there is an active, ongoing nihilist self-consciousness in the artist.
Portrait of Leonard Baskin

Quote examples

Marilyn Manson

American Singer

Yes, I'm reckless and sometime express no concern for my own well being, and I express a misanthropic view of the world, but to have an opinion, you can't be a nihilist.
Portrait of Marilyn Manson

Quote examples

Rachel Kushner

American Writer

I'm a kind person; I don't have a really nihilist streak in me, but I respond to that kind of humour.
Portrait of Rachel Kushner

Quote examples

Hasan Minhaj

American Actor

I'd rather be an angry optimist than an angry nihilist.
Portrait of Hasan Minhaj

Quote examples

Christopher Hitchens

American Author

To be in opposition is not to be a nihilist.
Portrait of Christopher Hitchens

Quote examples

Tony Kushner

American Playwright

You have to have hope. It's irresponsible to give false hope, which I think a lot of playwrights are guilty of. But I also think it's irresponsible to simply be a nihilist, which quite a lot of playwrights, especially playwrights younger than me, have become guilty of.
Portrait of Tony Kushner

Quote examples

Billy Corgan

American Musician

I was raised a Christian, but I wouldn't call myself a Christian now. I think when I was younger it was easier to focus on the negative, nihilist vision... this is sort of picking up on the other half of the body, which is God and white light.
Portrait of Billy Corgan

Quote examples

Kim Cattrall

English Actress

If I didn't work in television or film, if I didn't have the right look, I never took it personally. Because there was always the theatre. I'm not a nihilist, I'm an optimist. And that has served me well in this profession.
Portrait of Kim Cattrall

Quote examples

Tom Burke

I feel like an expressionist nihilist deep in my heart. And I think nihilism can stop the wheel from going around, around, around, around, around - saying the same thing, reacting the same way.
Portrait of Tom Burke

Quote examples

Siddhartha Mukherjee

Indian Scientist

I think you would have to be a nihilist to say that we are not making progress on cancer, just like you'd have to be hubristically optimistic to say that we have conquered cancer.
Portrait of Siddhartha Mukherjee

Quote examples

Leonard Baskin

American Artist

Works of art produced in the contemporary world are a further expression of that. But I don't think there is an active, ongoing nihilist self-consciousness in the artist.
Portrait of Leonard Baskin

Quote examples

Marilyn Manson

American Singer

Yes, I'm reckless and sometime express no concern for my own well being, and I express a misanthropic view of the world, but to have an opinion, you can't be a nihilist.
Portrait of Marilyn Manson

Quote examples

Rachel Kushner

American Writer

I'm a kind person; I don't have a really nihilist streak in me, but I respond to that kind of humour.
Portrait of Rachel Kushner

Quote examples

Hasan Minhaj

American Actor

I'd rather be an angry optimist than an angry nihilist.
Portrait of Hasan Minhaj

Quote examples

Christopher Hitchens

American Author

To be in opposition is not to be a nihilist.
Portrait of Christopher Hitchens
Example 1 of 10
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