as in optimistic
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as in optimist
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Recent Examples of Pollyanna
Rich Roll, Outside, 26 Aug. 2025
During the festival, those attending can enjoy a selection of beer, wine and cocktails from Pollyanna Brewing & Distilling, along with offerings from other local St. Charles breweries, according to the release.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
Your options aren’t only ‘cynical’ or ‘naïve’ The opposite of a cynic is a Pollyanna.
—Stav Ziv, CNBC, 24 June 2025
But isn’t the cynical explanation also the Pollyanna one?
—Maya Singer, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2025
Informed hope is not a Pollyanna attitude, but balancing the realities of the situation with the positive things people are doing.
—Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2024
Noun
Alexi’s tutu-twirling positivity should not be confused with Pollyanna, nor her quirky insights with naiveté.
—Rich Roll, Outside, 26 Aug. 2025
During the festival, those attending can enjoy a selection of beer, wine and cocktails from Pollyanna Brewing & Distilling, along with offerings from other local St. Charles breweries, according to the release.
—Aurora Beacon-News, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025
Your options aren’t only ‘cynical’ or ‘naïve’ The opposite of a cynic is a Pollyanna.
—Stav Ziv, CNBC, 24 June 2025
But isn’t the cynical explanation also the Pollyanna one?
—Maya Singer, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2025
Informed hope is not a Pollyanna attitude, but balancing the realities of the situation with the positive things people are doing.
—Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for Pollyanna
Adjective
-
Johnson’s Anaia is much sweeter, and though there’s some ferocity inside her too, the movie leaves her in a compassionate, optimistic place.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
15 May 2026
-
Everyone on the Titan mission is, with good reason, more optimistic about meeting their own challenges.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Roberts, the relentless optimist, understands this.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
Perkins still identifies as the optimist from 2022, albeit one tempered by realism.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
Olson is hopeful that the city will slow down its plans and continue to come up with solutions that find a middle ground with the neighbors.—
Jeff Wagner,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
-
With 2025 draft picks Jacob Parrish and Benjamin Morrison expected to compete for Dean’s outside corner position and Calijah Kancey hopeful of staying on the field after missing most of last season with a torn pectoral, the Bucs could look dramatically different.—
John Romano,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
He’s got the twinkly eye and the sly, gregarious spiritual ease of a Micawber or a Cheeryble.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
26 Feb. 2024
-
The smallest of the Micawber brood glides away in his baby carriage, because the bailiff is dragging the hallway carpet out from under the front door.—
Josephine Livingstone,
The New Republic,
16 Sep. 2020
Noun
-
In the early 20th century, a group of idealists set out to build a road that would connect towns and showcase the raw beauty of the Columbia River Gorge.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Gorton skillfully depicts the grueling decades-long struggle of Sanger (the icon, in this telling) and Dennett (the idealist) to make birth control available and legal, as well as their interpersonal competition for power and influence.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But, the sentiment on social media, particularly from Rebels fans, paints a different, less rosy picture.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 May 2026
-
To complement her classically chic ensemble, Apple wore her hair straight and parted in the middle (reminiscent of her mom's signature style) along with smoky, winged liner and a rosy lipstick shade.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Set during the Great Depression, this electrifying musical follows two dreamers whose desire for more leads them into legend and danger.—
Staff report,
Oc Register,
7 May 2026
-
Louisa May Alcott’s father, Bronson Alcott, was a Transcendentalist and a utopian dreamer whose grand plans left him unable to provide for his wife and children.—
René Ostberg,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
With early voting underway, the former state attorney general kept the event brief and upbeat.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
-
So the end of The Comeback felt almost bizarrely upbeat, especially knowing that Valerie is going to be okay anyway, since the journey of the show brought her closer to husband Mark (Damian Young) and Mark is making plenty of money for the both of them.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pollyanna.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Pollyanna. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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