Synonyms of optimistic
: 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

the economic predictions for the coming year are actually quite optimistic
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Vanita Gupta, formerly Biden's associate attorney general and now director of the Center for Law and Public Trust at New York University's law school, is among those optimistic voices. — Eric McDaniel, NPR, 28 Oct. 2026 Gabriel Zucman, an economist, a Proposition 40 enthusiast and one of the co-authors of the more optimistic study, has issued a barrage of attacks on that paper. — Ramesh Ponnuru, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026 The airline had double-digit revenue growth and is optimistic about the rest of the year, even as fuel prices surge and uncertainty in the Middle East abounds. — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 27 Oct. 2026 Tech investors sound cautiously optimistic about Anthropic's S-1 public offering document , despite persistent concerns about the future of AI and dangers of the technology. — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for optimistic

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Optimistic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/optimistic. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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
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