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Definition of "optimist" []

  • One who usually expects a favorable outcome. (noun)
  • A believer in philosophical optimism. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "optimist" in a sentence
  • "Mr.H. T. Tuckerman makes a book of essays on various subjects, and calls it The Optimist; and then devotes several pages of preface to an argument, lexicon in hand, proving that the applicability of the term optimist is ` obvious. '"
  • ""We were what we called optimist realists," she said."
  • "Vidal Castillo, the optimist, is confident that the outlook is good for an upswing in the fortunes of a town which has had its share of downers."