optimistic

adjective

op·​ti·​mis·​tic ˌäp-tə-ˈmi-stik How to pronounce optimistic (audio)
: of, relating to, or characterized by optimism : feeling or showing hope for the future
an optimistic outlook
an optimistic economic forecast
a person with a hopeful, optimistic nature
I'm feeling optimistic about our chances.
The streets in question were magnificent commercial thoroughfares, … brimming with heavy streams of eager life—young, fresh, optimistic.Theodore Dreiser
optimistically adverb
thinking optimistically about the future
an optimistically upbeat forecast
Optimistically, he anticipates that nuclear weapons … will never be used in war again … Russell F. Weigley

Examples of optimistic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web That means that when the herd is optimistic, money managers take it as a sign that stocks will fall, and vice versa. Krystal Hur, CNN, 15 Mar. 2024 More repairs — both essential and costly — to keep the 90-year-old ship operational are still expected, but city officials are optimistic the financial headwinds the ship has battled are easing. Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Still, Taylor is optimistic that his hard work and sacrifice will pay off one day, and his son will be there to witness the result. Emy Lacroix, Peoplemag, 12 Mar. 2024 Morgan Stanley analyst Alex Straton said in a March 7 note that Abercrombie’s profitability expectations could be too optimistic. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2024 For Mike Adams, Hagley’s museum and audience-engagement director, that energy is part of the charm of the American patent system, which is fundamentally optimistic. Nicola Twilley, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2024 But even with his players in tears after the game, McCord ended the year on an optimistic note. Joseph Dycus, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Read the full Cancer Daily Horoscope Leo (July 23 - August 22) Overly optimistic? USA TODAY, 7 Mar. 2024 This is a possibility because lawmakers and Newsom passed the 2023-2024 budget using financial projections that turned out to be overly optimistic. Jenavieve Hatch, Sacramento Bee, 6 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'optimistic.' 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

optimist + -ic entry 1

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of optimistic was in 1834

Dictionary Entries Near optimistic

Cite this Entry

“Optimistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optimistic. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

optimistic

adjective
op·​ti·​mis·​tic
ˌäp-tə-ˈmis-tik
: showing optimism : expecting everything to come out all right : hopeful
optimistically
-ti-k(ə-)lē
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on optimistic

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