Chicken Little

noun

1. a person who constantly warns that a calamity is imminent; a vociferous pessimist.

   The Chicken Littles are warning that the stock market will collapse.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Chicken Little¹

From a character in nursery tales (also known as Henny Penny, Chicken-Diddle, or Chicken-Licken) who, when struck on the head by an object from above, panics and believes that the sky is falling

Example Sentences

“I’m concerned that people will think it was the Chicken Little, you know, ‘Y’all said the sky was falling, and now nothing’s happened,’” she said in a phone interview.

From Salon

“This ‘Chicken Little’ stuff has got to end.

From Los Angeles Times

“President Biden’s entire plan rested on the Chicken Little tactic of persuading Americans that the Internet would break in the absence of these so-called ‘net neutrality’ regulations,” Carr said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times

So why the “Chicken Little” song about America’s declining might?

From Seattle Times

"We need to take these glaciers seriously without sounding like Chicken Little," Joughin said in an email.

From Fox News

Related Words

• pessimist