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Pollyanna

[ pol-ee-an-uh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

an excessively or blindly optimistic person.

adjective

(often lowercase) Also �ʴǱ�l��·��n��·��. unreasonably or illogically optimistic:
some pollyanna notions about world peace.

Pollyanna

/ ˌ��ɒ��ɪˈæ��ə /

noun

a person who is constantly or excessively optimistic

Pollyanna

(1913) A children's book by the American author Eleanor H. Porter. The title character is an orphan girl who, despite the difficulties of her life, is always extremely cheerful.

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Notes

A “Pollyanna” remains excessively sweet-tempered and optimistic even in adversity.

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Derived Forms

ˌ�ʴǱ��ˈ��ԲԲ��, adjective

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Other Word Forms

�ʴǱ�l��·��n��·�� noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of Pollyanna¹

First recorded in 1910–15; from the name of the child heroine in the novel Pollyanna (1913), written by Eleanor Hodgman Porter (1868–1920), American writer

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Word History and Origins

Origin of Pollyanna¹

C20: after the chief character in Pollyanna (1913), a novel by Eleanor Porter (1868–1920), US writer

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

I know sound kind of like a Pollyanna talking about this, but that's genuinely what I believe.

From

“If I suddenly came on like Pollyanna, it wouldn’t work — it would frighten people more if I were nice. They’d be paralyzed with fear. And wonder what I was up to. But perhaps I should try it … ‘Hello!

From

If it seems like Roberts is too Pollyanna, well, for some players, it works.

From

But, at the risk of sounding like a political Pollyanna, she can try to take these moments when they happen—which, again, they will—to keep her campaign on message: to keep it about freedom, joy, human dignity, and empathy.

From

Maybe I'm being a Pollyanna, but I suspect Trump and Vance's gambit won't work.

From

polly pollyfish

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