Pollyanna

American  

[pol-ee-an-uh] / ˌpɒl iˈæn ə /

noun

1. an excessively or blindly optimistic person.

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adjective

1. (often lowercase) Also Pollyannaish. unreasonably or illogically optimistic.

   some pollyanna notions about world peace.

Pollyanna British  

/ ˌpɒlɪˈænə /

noun

1. a person who is constantly or excessively optimistic

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Pollyanna Cultural  

1. (1913) A children's book by the American author Eleanor H. Porter. The title character is an orphan girl who, despite the difficulties of her life, is always extremely cheerful.

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Discover More

A “Pollyanna” remains excessively sweet-tempered and optimistic even in adversity.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Pollyannaism
  noun
• Pollyannaish
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of Pollyanna

First recorded in 1910–15; from the name of the child heroine in the novel Pollyanna (1913), written by Eleanor Hodgman Porter (1868–1920), American writer

Example Sentences

Life doesn’t screech to a halt after a Pollyanna rom-com ending, just like love isn’t cast in amber, destined to be preserved forever.

From Salon • Jun. 14, 2025

Alongside a growing body of quantitative evidence, these patient anecdotes are proving our Pollyanna wishes can come true; they show us social prescriptions can both improve our health and reduce pressure on health care.

From Slate • May 26, 2024

Phil subscribers and the public when Disney Hall fundraising faltered and the whole thing seemed like some kind of pointless avant-garde Pollyanna project from a vain architect.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2024

They also look at the bronze statue of Pollyanna, erected outside the public library to honor the 1913 book by local author Eleanor H. Porter, whose main character came to define relentless optimism.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 5, 2024

Sosie had played her part, being the smiling, plucky, don’t-worry-about-me, lip-reading Pollyanna.

From "Beauty Queens" by Libba Bray