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Prepositions after adjectives

How to use pessimistic with prepositions

Pessimistic is usually followed by about when expressing negative expectations about a situation or future event.

Quick answer

Use pessimistic about for negative expectations

The standard construction is pessimistic about. Other prepositions such as on, in, of, and for are generally not used directly after pessimistic to express attitude, though they may appear in separate phrases in a sentence.

She is pessimistic about the economy.
Investors remain pessimistic about future growth.
He sounded pessimistic about our chances.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
pessimistic about + situation

Expressing concern about outcomes

Use pessimistic about for expected problems or failure.

They are pessimistic about the negotiations.
Analysts became pessimistic about the market.
2
pessimistic about + future event

Talking about the future

This pattern is common with predictions and plans.

She feels pessimistic about next year.
Many people are pessimistic about the project’s success.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
pessimistic about
We are pessimistic about the results.
Standard form for negative expectations.
pessimistic on
She was pessimistic on the proposal during the meeting.
Sometimes heard in informal business speech, but pessimistic about is more idiomatic.
pessimistic in
He became pessimistic in difficult times.
In introduces a situation or time context, not the complement selected by pessimistic.
pessimistic of
They were pessimistic of their chances.
Generally nonstandard in current English; about is preferred.
pessimistic for
She felt pessimistic for the team’s future.
Less natural than pessimistic about the team’s future.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using of after pessimistic

Modern English normally uses about.

✕ He is pessimistic of the outcome. ✓ He is pessimistic about the outcome.

Using for instead of about

For is usually unnatural after pessimistic.

✕ They are pessimistic for the plan. ✓ They are pessimistic about the plan.

Confusing topic and context

In can describe a situation, but the attitude itself still takes about.

✕ She is pessimistic in the results. ✓ She is pessimistic about the results.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. Investors are pessimistic ___ the company’s future.
2. He became pessimistic ___ difficult economic conditions.
3. Choose the most natural sentence.

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Frequently asked questions

Can pessimistic be used without a preposition?

Yes. For example: She sounded pessimistic.

Is pessimistic on ever correct?

It appears in some professional contexts, but pessimistic about is much more natural and widely accepted.

What is the opposite of pessimistic about?

The common opposite is optimistic about.

packed-with-to-in-on, into "paid for" or "paid up"? painful for, to, in, at or of? "palatable to" or "palatable for"? "pale in" or "pale of"? "pandemic of" or "pandemic in"? "paramount to" or "paramount in"? paranoid about, of, in, with or over? partial to, of, in, towards or for? participating in, of, on, at or for? "particular about" or "particular to"? part-time at, in, for, as or with?

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