optimism

noun

ˈäp-tə-ˌmi-zəm How to pronounce optimism (audio)
Definition of optimismnext
as in hopefulness
an inclination to believe in the most favorable outcome your perpetual optimism even when things look bleak

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 optimism Early vote signals More than 830,000 Georgians have already cast early ballots, and there’s plenty in the first wave of turnout data to give Democrats reason for optimism. — Adam Beam, AJC.com, 19 Oct. 2026 Their first-round picks have gone from reasons for optimism to liabilities. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Oct. 2026 The women face these challenges amid shifting winds of optimism and despair. — Jonathan Bullington, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 Their defense had surrendered 83 points in consecutive blowout losses to Missouri and South Carolina, and the optimism surrounding new coach Jon Sumrall had evaporated faster than a puddle on a Gainesville sidewalk in August. — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for optimism
Recent Examples of Synonyms for optimism
  1. hopefulness
  2. brightness
  3. cheerfulness
Noun
  • Gays are actually staying in Jamaica, which tells me there’s now a sort of hopefulness.
    — Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Hope and persistence pay off Some of the happiest children are those who maintain a sense of hopefulness and possibility.
    — Liz Rosenberg, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of hopefulness
Noun
  • And, it was coupled with a nice brightness that made percussion crisp and synths cutting.
    — Christian de Looper, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Wear one in beige or white to add a bit of brightness to your look, or black for some edge.
    — Michel Mejía, Glamour, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of brightness
Noun
  • Leaders, in particular, have the power to shift the mood of their teams, not by pretending everything is fine or manufacturing cheerfulness but through tone, body language, and small actions.
    — Harvard Business Review, Harvard Business Review, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The service Professionalism comes with genuine warmth, cheerfulness, and a sense of people absolutely loving their jobs.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of cheerfulness

Browse Nearby Words

optimally
optimism
optimist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Optimism.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/optimism. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of milieu

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All