Pollyannish

See also: pollyannish

English

Alternative forms

• Pollyanna-ish, Pollyannaish

Etymology

From Pollyanna +‎ -ish.

Adjective

Pollyannish (comparative more Pollyannish, superlative most Pollyannish)

1. (derogatory) irrepressibly or excessively optimistic; capable of seeing good in anyone
   • 1981 December 12, Andrea F. Loewenstein, “Gay Theatre Verité”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 21, page 10:

     […] what we've been waiting for so long: a positive but never Pollyanish play about gays leading lives which are neither some bizarre caricature taken from heterosexual fantasy nor even more nuclear and apple-pie normal than any straight lives anyone has ever heard of.

   • 2023 June 1, David Smith, quoting Shalanda Young, director of the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, “Apostle of bipartisanship: why US debt ceiling deal was a victory for Joe Biden”, in The Guardian‎^[1]:

     She insisted: "Look, the House is not very different from when I was there. You have to have some faith in the governing majority, which I do, because I have a lot of respect for members on both sides of the aisle to do what’s best for the American people. And that is not some pollyannish thing. I know them."