fatalism

American  

[feyt-l-iz-uhm] / ˈfeɪt lˌɪz əm /

noun

1. the acceptance of all things and events as inevitable; submission to fate.

   Her fatalism helped her to face death with stoic calm.

2. Philosophy.  the doctrine that all events are subject to fate or inevitable predetermination.

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fatalism British  

/ ˈfeɪtəˌlɪzəm /

noun

1. the philosophical doctrine that all events are predetermined so that man is powerless to alter his destiny

2. the acceptance of and submission to this doctrine

3. a lack of effort or action in the face of difficulty

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Other Word Forms

• fatalist noun
• fatalistic adjective
• fatalistically adverb

Etymology

Origin of fatalism

First recorded in 1670–80; fatal + -ism

Compare meaning

How does fatalism compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• fatalism vs. determinism

Example Sentences

The vibe is exuberant and anarchic and very much in tempo with the joy-craving fatalism of today.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s a luxury, a quantum leap, one that can save your imagination from a propensity to meek fatalism or received social patterns.

From Los Angeles Times

One that refuses both fatalism and false neutrality.

From Salon

Today, realism tells us that the future will get worse before it might get better – and it can only get better if we reject fatalism and get on with organizing.

From Salon

Much of that has to do with the way he holds hope in one hand and fatalism in the other, but Cassian borrows plenty of sorrow from the people surrounding him.

From Salon