pessimal

pes·si·mal
P3E1S1S1I1M3A1L1
/ˈpɛ.sɪ.məl//ˈpɛ.sə.məl/

adjective

Bad to a maximal extent; worst.

Similar
pessimumworst
Opposite
optimalbestideal
Scrabble 12
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Meanings

adjectivepessimal (not comparable)
  1. not comparableBad to a maximal extent; worst.

    "Optimal and Pessimal Orderings of Steiner Triple Systems in Disk Arrays

    1998, Bela Bolloas, “Modern Graph Theory”, in LATIN 2000: Theoretical Informatics
    2 more examples

    Calculated in this way, a security value represents a pessimal view of possibilities.

    1989, Peter C. Ordeshook, Gregory F. Rose, Emerson M. Niou, The balance of power: Stability in international systems

    …the limiting solution is a pessimal solution because the value of the objective function associated with it is zero.

    2019, Suresh P. Sethi, Optimal Control Theory: Applications to Management Science and Economics

Synonyms & antonyms

Opposite
optimalbestideal

adjectiveof an organism's environment; least favorable for survival

Similar
pessimumworst
Also see
pessimumworst

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

From Latin pessimus (“worst”) + -al, modeled on optimal.

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

plasmise
Cite this entry
APA

pessimal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pessimal

MLA

“pessimal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pessimal. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pessimal,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pessimal.

Source: pessimal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.