Existentialism Terminology

noun a feeling of anxiety or worry

verb to make someone feel anxious or worried

• The disquiet among the shareholders was palpable during the annual meeting.
• There's a lot of disquiet among the team about the upcoming restructuring.
• I can sense some serious disquiet in the air, something's definitely up.
• The disquiet in her heart was like a storm brewing on the horizon.

noun the quality or state of being futile; ineffectiveness; uselessness

• The scientist's research proved the futility of trying to cure the disease with current methods.
• It's a waste of time to argue with him, it's like trying to teach a fish to climb a tree.
• Don't bother studying for that test, it's a total lost cause.
• Her attempts to change his mind were like trying to stop a speeding train with a feather.

noun a person who believes that life is meaningless and rejects all religious and moral principles

adjective relating to or characteristic of nihilism or nihilists

• The philosopher was often labeled as a nihilist due to his belief in the meaninglessness of life.
• My friend likes to joke that he's a nihilist because he doesn't take anything too seriously.
• Some people think being a nihilist is cool, but I just find it depressing.
• She felt like a nihilist, watching the flames consume everything she once cared about.