optimism

O1P3T1I1M3I1S1M3
US/ˈɑptɪmɪzəm/UK/ˈɒptɪmɪzəm/

noun

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.”

Opposite
pessimismhopelessnessdystopianism
OriginFrench optimisme →
Less commonScrabble 14
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Meanings

nounoptimism (usually uncountable, plural optimisms)

plural optimisms

  1. uncountableusuallyA 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.

    1 more example

    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

    Antonyms: pessimism, hopelessness

  2. uncountableusuallyThe doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds.

    Antonyms: pessimism, dystopianism

  3. uncountableusuallyThe belief that good will eventually triumph over evil.

    Antonyms: pessimism

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA tendency to expect the best, or at least, a favourable outcome.

Opposite
pessimismhopelessness

nounThe doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds.

Opposite
pessimismdystopianism

nounThe belief that good will eventually triumph over evil.

Opposite
pessimism

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe optimistic feeling that all is going to turn out well

Opposite
pessimism
Broader
hope

nouna general disposition to expect the best in all things

Opposite
pessimism
Broader
dispositiontemperament
Also see
sunlight

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Frenchoptimisme
  2. Englishoptimism

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

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Arabic تَفَاؤُل, تَفَاؤُل
  • تَفَاؤُل (tafāʔul)a tendency to expect the best
  • تَفَاؤُل (tafāʔul)the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds
  • تَفَاؤُل (tafāʔul)the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil
Bulgarian оптими́зъм
  • оптими́зъм (optimízăm)a tendency to expect the best
Catalan optimisme, optimisme
  • optimismea tendency to expect the best
  • optimismethe doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds
  • optimismethe belief that good will eventually triumph over evil
Chinese Mandarin 樂觀主義 /乐观主义, 樂觀主義 /乐观主义
  • 樂觀主義 /乐观主义 (lèguānzhǔyì)a tendency to expect the best
  • 樂觀主義 /乐观主义 (lèguānzhǔyì)the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds
  • 樂觀主義 /乐观主义 (lèguānzhǔyì)the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil
Czech optimismus
  • optimismusa tendency to expect the best
Dutch optimisme
  • optimismea tendency to expect the best
Finnish optimismi, optimismi
  • optimismia tendency to expect the best
  • optimismithe doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds
  • optimismithe belief that good will eventually triumph over evil
French optimisme, optimisme
  • optimismea tendency to expect the best
  • optimismethe doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds
  • optimismethe belief that good will eventually triumph over evil
German Optimismus, Zuversicht
  • Optimismusa tendency to expect the best
  • Zuversichta tendency to expect the best
Greek αισιοδοξία, αισιοδοξία
  • αισιοδοξία (aisiodoxía)a tendency to expect the best
  • αισιοδοξία (aisiodoxía)the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds
  • αισιοδοξία (aisiodoxía)the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil
Hebrew אופטימיות
  • אופטימיות (optímiut)a tendency to expect the best
Hindi आशावाद
  • आशावाद (āśāvād)a tendency to expect the best
Hungarian optimizmus, derűlátás
  • optimizmusa tendency to expect the best
  • derűlátása tendency to expect the best
Italian ottimismo
  • ottimismoa tendency to expect the best
Japanese 楽観主義, 楽観主義
  • 楽観主義 (rakkanshugi)a tendency to expect the best
  • 楽観主義 (rakkanshugi)the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds
  • 楽観主義 (rakkanshugi)the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil
Korean 낙천주의
  • 낙천주의 (nakcheonjuui)a tendency to expect the best
Māori ngākau rorotu
  • ngākau rorotua tendency to expect the best
Norwegian optimisme, optimisme
  • optimismea tendency to expect the best
  • optimismethe doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds
  • optimismethe belief that good will eventually triumph over evil
Persian خوشبینی
  • خوشبینی (xoš-bini)a tendency to expect the best
Polish optymizm
  • optymizma tendency to expect the best
Portuguese otimismo, otimismo
  • otimismoa tendency to expect the best
  • otimismothe doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds
  • otimismothe belief that good will eventually triumph over evil
Romanian optimism
  • optimisma tendency to expect the best
Russian оптими́зм, оптими́зм
  • оптими́зм (optimízm)a tendency to expect the best
  • оптими́зм (optimízm)the doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds
  • оптими́зм (optimízm)the belief that good will eventually triumph over evil
Spanish optimismo
  • optimismoa tendency to expect the best
Swedish optimism
  • optimisma tendency to expect the best
Thai สุทรรศนนิยม, สุนิยม
  • สุทรรศนนิยมthe doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds
  • สุนิยมthe doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds
Turkish optimizm, iyimserlik
  • optimizma tendency to expect the best
  • iyimserlika tendency to expect the best
  • optimizmthe doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds
  • iyimserlikthe doctrine that this world is the best of all possible worlds
Ukrainian оптимі́зм
  • оптимі́зм (optymízm)a tendency to expect the best
Vietnamese sự lạc quan
  • sự lạc quana tendency to expect the best
Cite this entry
APA

optimism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/optimism

MLA

“optimism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/optimism. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “optimism,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/optimism.

Source: optimism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.