Pollyanna 1 of 2

Definition of Pollyannanext

Pollyanna

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of Pollyanna
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
  • By the end of the episode, there is reason to feel optimistic, and not just because Jimmy may have found a solution to his and the restaurant’s financial problems.
    Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 June 2026
  • The work is making sure the assumptions underneath them are honest rather than inherited from an optimistic seller.
    Tony Julianelle, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Noun
  • Some optimists even see hints of a ’60s-style resurgence with bright young filmmakers creating smart young movies.
    Peter Bart, Deadline, 25 June 2026
  • After a wildfire, the optimist waits patiently for the eventual return of squirrels, birds and other forest residents.
    The Los Angeles Times, Mercury News, 18 June 2026
Adjective
  • Yet for all its honesty about that dislocation, the film remains remarkably hopeful.
    Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
  • The official did not sound particularly hopeful.
    Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 27 June 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
Adjective
  • The picture isn’t entirely rosy.
    Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 26 June 2026
  • As for glam, Chopra Jonas went minimalist, wearing her hair down with soft waves and a middle part and opting for signature makeup elements like bold brows, lined eyes, and a rosy lip.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 25 June 2026
Noun
  • Josh, who wants to be an investigative journalist, is an idealist in a PBS T-shirt (and with a PBS tote bag) who gets by on family money and is incapable of taking care of himself in any practical way.
    Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026
  • Independent bookselling, rarely a way to get rich, is a meeting ground for idealists — for young people with a sense of mission, retirees embarking on a new life or middle-aged people no longer satisfied with their careers.
    ABC News, ABC News, 27 May 2026
Adjective
  • At Tapasake, a Peruvian-Japanese, indoor-outdoor restaurant, a DJ provides an upbeat soundtrack for pool deck dining on top of The Link.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 June 2026
  • As a result, Newell is upbeat about fall.
    Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • For generations, Chicago has thrived because dreamers could make it here with little to their name and make something of themselves, and the bus is a prime way to do so.
    Lena Guerrero Reynolds, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026
  • Before her death in 1993, Mabel McKay — one of the last living dreamers of the Pomo Indian people — shared a prophecy while driving through the Sonoma hills.
    Maddie Connors, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Pollyanna.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Pollyanna. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.

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