# pessimist vs pessimistic

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### pessimist
*noun · IPA /ˈpɛsɪmɪst/ · frequency rank #43,309*
Someone who habitually expects the worst outcome; one who looks on the dark side of things.

### pessimistic
*adjective · IPA /ˌpɛ.səˈmɪs.tɪk/ · frequency rank #21,023*
Marked by pessimism and little hopefulness; expecting the worst.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/pessimist-vs-pessimistic