NIHILISM

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does nihilism mean? 

• NIHILISM (noun)
  The noun NIHILISM has 3 senses:

1. a revolutionary doctrine that advocates destruction of the social system for its own sake

2. the delusion that things (or everything, including the self) do not exist; a sense that everything is unreal

3. complete denial of all established authority and institutions

  Familiarity information: NIHILISM used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• NIHILISM (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A revolutionary doctrine that advocates destruction of the social system for its own sake

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("nihilism" is a kind of...):

doctrine; ism; philosophical system; philosophy; school of thought (a belief (or system of beliefs) accepted as authoritative by some group or school)

Derivation:

nihilist (an advocate of anarchism)

nihilist (someone who rejects all theories of morality or religious belief)

nihilistic (of or relating to nihilism)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The delusion that things (or everything, including the self) do not exist; a sense that everything is unreal

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

nihilism; nihilistic delusion

Hypernyms ("nihilism" is a kind of...):

delusion; psychotic belief ((psychology) an erroneous belief that is held in the face of evidence to the contrary)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Complete denial of all established authority and institutions

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Hypernyms ("nihilism" is a kind of...):

anarchy; lawlessness (a state of lawlessness and disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government))

Derivation:

nihilist (an advocate of anarchism)

nihilist (someone who rejects all theories of morality or religious belief)

nihilistic (of or relating to nihilism)