optimist

1 of 2

noun (1)

op·​ti·​mist ˈäp-tə-mist How to pronounce optimist (audio)
: a person who is inclined to be hopeful and to expect good outcomes : someone who is given to optimism
The optimists have faith that no matter how avaricious the age, literature will endure.Michael Norman

Optimist

2 of 2

noun (2)

Op·​ti·​mist ˈäp-tə-mist How to pronounce Optimist (audio)
: a member of a major international service club

Examples of optimist in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
He’s dealt a slight disadvantage in this regard since his character is written as an over-the-top, wide-eyed optimist with colorful quirks — a Manic Pixie Dream Boy for the introverted Doom. Courtney Howard, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024 That is seven below average for the 17th day of February, a date that optimists may note is less than two weeks from March, with all its connotations of a new, warmer season. Martin Weil, Washington Post, 18 Feb. 2024 The optimists, which include Mr. Bove, hope that the club can find a happy medium — and a way to succeed. Claire Fahy, New York Times, 17 Dec. 2023 An optimist may not survive in a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) business world. Dominik Szot, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 But Youssef, ever an optimist, sees a tiny silver lining. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 21 Feb. 2024 Still, auto optimists dream of idyllic drives in convertibles. Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 15 Feb. 2024 In his telling, nineteenth-century liberals were optimists about human nature and believed in human beings’ ability to improve themselves and society. Helena Rosenblatt, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 The fair folks are optimists, too: There isn’t a specific game mentioned on the banner, so it could be used for years to come. Sal Pizarro, The Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'optimist.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

optim(ism) + -ist entry 1, probably after French optimiste

Noun (2)

Optimist (Club)

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1759, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1911, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of optimist was in 1759

Dictionary Entries Near optimist

Cite this Entry

“Optimist.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optimist. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

optimist

noun
op·​ti·​mist
ˈäp-tə-məst
: an optimistic person
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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