endism means the belief that something of significant scope and duration, particularly something negative, is coming to an end.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, endism ranks #2,580 of 14,456 for The Improbable, #3,484 of 14,448 for Funniest Words, #7,082 of 14,423 for Most Sublime Words, #7,460 of 14,414 for Most Elegant Words.
Why “endism” is a great word
Endism is the belief that a major historical, cultural, or political phenomenon is reaching its terminal phase. From end (meaning "termination") and -ism (denoting a system, principle, or ideological belief). Unlike apocalypticism, which prophesies a fiery, revelatory finale for the world itself, or progressivism, which champions an arc of continuous betterment, endism is a secular and particular melancholy—a conviction that a defining thread of the story is about to snap. It is the hollow ring of a depleted political slogan, the historian noting the exhaustion of grand narratives, and the peculiar stillness that descends when an era’s music has exhausted its final variation. Endism does not require trumpets; it merely notices the draining of color from what once seemed permanent.
Etymology
From end + -ism.
noun
- The belief that something of significant scope and duration, particularly something negative, is coming to an end.
Words closest in meaning
By meaning, not spelling — each word's AI semantic fingerprint, nearest first.