Meliorism
noun /ˈmiːliərɪzəm/ — The belief that the world can and will be made better through human effort.
Definition
The philosophical position that the world is neither entirely good nor irredeemably bad, but can be progressively improved through deliberate human action — a principled optimism grounded in effort rather than faith.
Beyond the definition
Meliorism is optimism with its sleeves rolled up. It doesn't deny the world's brokenness — it refuses to be paralysed by it. It is the philosophy of people who act, not because they are certain of the outcome, but because the alternative is worse.
Origin & history
From Latin melior (better) + -ism (philosophical position). Coined by George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) in correspondence, later popularised by philosopher William James. A position between pessimism and optimism.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
Her meliorism was the quiet engine behind thirty years of public service.
He didn't know if the world would get better, but meliorism demanded he act as if it would.
Meliorism: not blind hope, but deliberate effort in the direction of better.
How to use it
This entry uses a noun. Follow the examples for articles and singular or plural forms; not every noun takes “a” or “an.”
Choose “Meliorism” when the meaning fits your context: The philosophical position that the world is neither entirely good nor irredeemably bad, but can be progressively improved through deliberate human action — a principled optimism grounded in effort rather than faith.
Synonyms
optimism, progressivism, hope, reformism, constructive idealism
Antonyms
Related words
Word in the Wild
Illustrative story: an imagined scene, not a documented event or interview.
The climate researcher worked on projections that, if she looked at them straight, were frightening. She looked at them straight every day. Her colleagues asked how she managed.
"I don't think the problem is solvable," she said carefully. "I think it's improvable. Those are different. Solvable implies a finish. Improvable just means that what I do today matters more than doing nothing."
She has published seventy-three papers, testified before four legislative bodies, and turned down two private sector offers that would have doubled her salary. She is still in the lab. The world, she believes, is improvable. She is one of the people doing it.
Questions about this word
What does "Meliorism" mean?
Meliorism is noun meaning: The belief that the world can and will be made better through human effort.. The philosophical position that the world is neither entirely good nor irredeemably bad, but can be progressively improved through deliberate human action — a principled optimism grounded in effort rather than faith.
Where does the word "Meliorism" come from?
From Latin melior (better) + -ism (philosophical position). Coined by George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) in correspondence, later popularised by philosopher William James. A position between pessimism and optimism.