optimism
Americannoun
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a disposition or tendency to look on the more favorable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome.
- Synonyms:
- cheerfulness, hopefulness, confidence
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the belief that good ultimately predominates over evil in the world.
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the belief that goodness pervades reality.
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the doctrine that the existing world is the best of all possible worlds.
noun
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the tendency to expect the best and see the best in all things
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hopefulness; confidence
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the doctrine of the ultimate triumph of good over evil
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the philosophical doctrine that this is the best of all possible worlds
Other Word Forms
- antioptimism noun
- optimist noun
- optimistic adjective
- optimistically adverb
- overoptimism noun
Etymology
Origin of optimism
First recorded in 1730–40; from French optimisme, from Latin optim(um) ( optimum ) + French -isme -ism
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Any optimism the 2,000-point mark inspired also proved to be misplaced.
From Los Angeles Times
That optimism is returning in certain corners of the market, while scrutiny of the AI boom periodically ripples through others.
California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot, who attended in place of Gov. Gavin Newsom, said the negotiators are “narrowing down the issues of difference among the two basins, and that gives me optimism.”
From Los Angeles Times
There’s still reason for optimism, in Klein’s view, as he noted that “no real large active fund manager” is selling Alphabet just because of the spending forecast.
From MarketWatch
Scotland lost on their last visit to Rome in 2024 and Townsend is determined not to let the optimism built by Glasgow's recent results be extinguished on the opening weekend of the championship.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
