Pollyanna

noun

Pol·​ly·​an·​na ˌpä-lē-ˈa-nə How to pronounce Pollyanna (audio)
: a person characterized by irrepressible optimism and a tendency to find good in everything
Pollyanna adjective
Pollyannaish adjective
or less commonly Pollyannish

Examples of Pollyanna in a Sentence

I'm no Pollyanna, but I do think some good will come out of this.
Recent Examples on the Web The politics of Pollyanna, brought to you by the things-have-never-been-better crowd. Bret Stephens, The Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2024 Pope and Sarah go into catacombs beneath an old church in search of the treasure, but are forced to hide among the rats when Lightner (Rigo Sanchez) and his boss Dalia (Pollyanna McIntosh) show up and grab a mysterious scroll that is most likely a map. Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Oct. 2024 Informed hope is not a Pollyanna attitude, but balancing the realities of the situation with the positive things people are doing. Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2024 Opinion: As more workers exit downtown, Louisville Mayor Greenberg needs to deal with realty and chuck his Pollyanna perspective, our Joe Gerth says in his latest column. Ray Padilla, The Courier-Journal, 11 Feb. 2024 My natural state has always been one of optimism, almost to the point of being a Pollyanna. Ellyn Laub, sun-sentinel.com, 30 Sep. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Pollyanna.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Pollyanna, heroine of the novel Pollyanna (1913) by Eleanor Porter †1920 American fiction writer

First Known Use

1921, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Pollyanna was in 1921

Dictionary Entries Near Pollyanna

Cite this Entry

“Pollyanna.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Pollyanna. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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