weltschmerz

/ˈvɛltˌʃmɛrts/
noun
  1. A feeling of sadness or disappointment about the way the world is, often because it does not match one's ideals.
    • Reading the news every day fills her with a sense of weltschmerz about global conflicts.
    • Many young people experience weltschmerz when they realize the gap between their hopes and reality.
    • His poetry expresses a deep weltschmerz, a longing for a more peaceful and just world.
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