Panglossian
Blindly, foolishly cheerful
Panglossian describes naively or unreasonably optimistic views—the belief that everything is for the best despite evidence to the contrary.
The term comes from Dr.
Pangloss in Voltaire's *Candide*, who maintained that we live in "the best of all possible worlds" even amid catastrophe.
His Panglossian faith in the market ignored every warning sign.
Naively optimistic person
- LeibnizBaroque-era polymath philosopher-mathematician
- satireMockery exposing vice
- theodicyDefense of divine goodness
- EnlightenmentEra prioritizing reason over dogma
parody · irony · wit · sardonic · philosophy · allegory · caricature · lampoon
Excessively positive in outlook
- delusionalHolding false beliefs firmly
- quixoticImpractically pursuing lofty goals
- utopianImpractically perfect in conception
- fantasticalExtravagantly unreal or imaginary
impractical · chimerical · illusory · wishful · unfounded · misguided · starry-eyed · unwarranted
Candide
Naively optimistic person
- LeibnizBaroque-era polymath philosopher-mathematician
- satireMockery exposing vice
- theodicyDefense of divine goodness
Enlightenment · parody · irony · wit · sardonic · philosophy · allegory · caricature · lampoon · critique
overoptimistic
Excessively positive in outlook
- delusionalHolding false beliefs firmly
- quixoticImpractically pursuing lofty goals
- utopianImpractically perfect in conception
fantastical · impractical · chimerical · illusory · wishful · unfounded · misguided · starry-eyed · unwarranted · baseless
optimistic
Expecting positive results
- hopefulFeeling positive expectation
- sanguineCheerfully optimistic temperament
- rosyPinkly warm or hopeful
sunny · positive · buoyant · cheerful · upbeat · aspirational · visionary · utopian · best-case
gullible
Easily deceived
ingenuous · unquestioning · childlike · unworldly · simple · guileless · artless · unsophisticated · blind · uncritical
gloss, glossary, glossaries, polyglot, polyglots, epiglottis, glottal, glottis, triglot