Optimistic meaning in English
Learn how to use Optimistic correctly with Gymglish.
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Definition
optimistic: hopeful, positive, confident
an optimist: a person who is hopeful and sees the best in situations
Examples
- "Horatio is cautiously optimistic about our fate."
- "An editorial by Happy Lightfoot, Eternal Optimist"
- "With this in mind, despite the current economic downturn, I'm optimistic that this coming year will be good for us."
- "Optimistic Forecast"
Exercise 1
Donna is convinced that some of her listeners are:
There may be more than one correct answer!
There may be more than one correct answer!
Donna is convinced that some of her listeners are:
There may be more than one correct answer!
There may be more than one correct answer!
An "optimistic" person is hopeful, positive or confident. Donna would be unlikely to say to her listeners "don't give up hope" (meaning "stay hopeful") if she were convinced that they are already optimistic about finding love.
Donna wonders if some of her listeners can't find the right person to share their life with, or have trouble meeting people in general. It is fair to say that she is referring to "lonely" people when she says this. A "lonely" person doesn't have friends or partners and feels alone and isolated.
A "sleepy" person is very tired, or might fall asleep at any moment. Although Donna mentions that her service can make dreams come true, she never specifies "sleepy" people in her audience.
Donna speculates that some of her listeners are "fat" or "heavy" and are "sitting around eating ice cream". She is convinced that her service, "the Love Connection" hotline, is ideal for these people. The terms "fat" and "heavy" are synonymous with each other. Note that "heavy" is more polite than "fat".
Exercise 2
Judging from the article you just read, which of the following terms best defines the attitude of consumers?
Judging from the article you just read, which of the following terms best defines the attitude of consumers?
Excerpt: Sales forecasts are gloomy . . . due to anxieties over the downturn in the economy and its effect on consumer spending.
This is correct. The article tells us that worries about the economy have had a negative effect on consumer spending. An "anxious (person)" is someone who is worried, nervous, concerned or uneasy.
This is not correct. The article tells us that "consumers are reluctant to make costly trips" because of high energy prices, but it is anxiety about the economy which has had a negative effect on consumer confidence.
This is not correct. "Optimistic" is a positive term, and suggests that consumers think there will be a period of strong economic expansion. The article, in contrast, speaks of "gloom", "desperation", "downturn" and "anxiety".
Excerpt: Sales forecasts are gloomy . . . due to anxieties over the downturn in the economy and its effect on consumer spending.
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