pollyanna

noun
UK: /ˌpɒl.iˈæn.ə/
US: /ˌpɑː.liˈæn.ə/

  1. A person who is excessively optimistic, even in difficult situations.

    1. She is such a Pollyanna, always seeing the good in everything. [ ] [ ]
    2. Even after losing her job, Sarah remained a Pollyanna, confident she'd find something better. [ ] [ ]

Synonyms

optimist idealist
pollyanna verb

  1. To be excessively optimistic and find good in everything, even when it's not appropriate or realistic.

    1. Don't Pollyanna about this, we need to be realistic. [ ] [ ]
    2. He tended to Pollyanna about the company's problems, ignoring the serious issues. [ ] [ ]
pollyanna adjective

  1. Displaying excessive optimism, even in the face of adversity.

    1. That's a Pollyanna view of the situation. [ ] [ ]
    2. Saying everything will be alright is a Pollyanna attitude that's not helpful now. [ ] [ ]

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "pollyanna" is /ˌpɒl.iˈæn.ə/ in British English and /ˌpɑː.liˈæn.ə/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "pollyanna": optimist, idealist.

Example usage of "pollyanna": "She is such a Pollyanna, always seeing the good in everything.". More examples on the page.