Dictionary

optimism en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈɑptɪmɪzəm/ (General-American)
• /ˈɒptɪmɪzəm/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From French optimisme, equivalent to Latin optimus + -ism.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) A tendency to expect the best, or at least, a favourable outcome.
   • I love her youth, her beauty and above all her optimism that everything will turn out fine.
   • Hanks is known as being an avid reader of history and biography, and seems to seek out stories which offer a certain optimism and humanism. In other words, he plays – fundamentally – good people. 2021 February 9, Christina Newland, “Is Tom Hanks part of a dying breed of genuine movie stars?”, in BBC:
2. (uncountable, usually) The doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds.
3. (uncountable, usually) The belief that good will eventually triumph over evil.

Forms

Antonyms

pessimism · hopelessness · pessimism · dystopianism · pessimism

Coordinates

hopefulness · hope

Deriveds

cyberoptimism · poptimism · overoptimism · techno-optimism

Relateds

optimize · optimistically · optimistic · optimal · suboptimal · optimist · optimization

Translations (72)

fi optimismi (a tendency to expect the best) · ru оптими́зм (the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil) · de Optimismus (a tendency to expect the best) · vo fredim (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · hu optimizmus (a tendency to expect the best) · he אופטימיות (a tendency to expect the best) · fi optimismi (the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil) · cs optimismus (a tendency to expect the best) · fr optimisme (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · nl optimisme (a tendency to expect the best) · nds-de Toversicht (a tendency to expect the best) · mi ngākau rorotu (a tendency to expect the best) · tr iyimserlik (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · nds-de Optimismus (a tendency to expect the best) · sh оптимѝзам (a tendency to expect the best) · sv optimism (a tendency to expect the best) · ja 楽観主義 (the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil) · vo fredim (the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil) · es optimismo (a tendency to expect the best) · bg оптими́зъм (a tendency to expect the best) · ja 楽観主義 (a tendency to expect the best) · hi आशावाद (a tendency to expect the best) · fa خوشبینی (a tendency to expect the best) · pt otimismo (the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil) · ca optimisme (a tendency to expect the best) · tr iyimserlik (a tendency to expect the best) · ca optimisme (the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil) · ja 楽観主義 (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · fi optimismi (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · th สุทรรศนนิยม (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · uk оптимі́зм (a tendency to expect the best) · cmn 樂觀主義 /乐观主义 (a tendency to expect the best) · el αισιοδοξία (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · ko 낙천주의 (a tendency to expect the best) · cmn 樂觀主義 /乐观主义 (the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil) · mr आशावाद (a tendency to expect the best) · no optimisme (the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil) · tr optimizm (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · sh оптимѝзам (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · de Zuversicht (a tendency to expect the best) · ka ოპტიმიზმი (a tendency to expect the best) · el αισιοδοξία (the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil) · pt otimismo (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · th สุนิยม (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · it ottimismo (a tendency to expect the best) · vo fredim (a tendency to expect the best) · ar تَفَاؤُل (a tendency to expect the best) · sh optimìzam (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · cmn 樂觀主義 /乐观主义 (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · ru оптими́зм (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · ro optimism (a tendency to expect the best) · pt otimismo (a tendency to expect the best) · vi sự lạc quan (a tendency to expect the best) · pl optymizm (a tendency to expect the best) · tr optimizm (a tendency to expect the best) · fr optimisme (a tendency to expect the best) · hu derűlátás (a tendency to expect the best) · ar تَفَاؤُل (the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil) · ru оптими́зм (a tendency to expect the best) · ar تَفَاؤُل (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · no optimisme (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · no optimisme (a tendency to expect the best) · sh оптимѝзам (the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil) · sh optimìzam (the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil) · ca optimisme (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · sh optimìzam (a tendency to expect the best) · gl optimismo (the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds) · hy լավատեսություն (a tendency to expect the best) · el αισιοδοξία (a tendency to expect the best) · gl optimismo (a tendency to expect the best) · be аптымі́зм (a tendency to expect the best) · fr optimisme (the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil)