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👍 Showing agreement ✅ A yes reply 😊 Positive thinking
affirmative

affirmative

14 4.2
Having a positive, hopeful attitude about the future
  • adjective
  • /əˈfɜːrmətɪv/
translation icon : optimista
  • At the same time, the necessity of construction and creation (that is, affirmative rather than negative operations) transcended race.
  • affirmative attitude
  • affirmative action
  • affirmative steps

It's good to be, you know, affirmative, but don't be so sure on you know, you're only you'll get a second opinion.

Examples

  • He maintained an affirmative outlook, believing that good things would come his way.

  • Let's get you in a more affirmative mindset.

    Call of the Rockies (1944)

  • He always was affirmative, always said yes to life.

    Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)

  • Overall, the administrators were upbeat and affirmative when describing their programs.

    Academic text (2004)

  • We must seek to understand the extremely positive and affirmative character that the unrepentant blues artist signifies.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Her affirmative attitude inspired everyone in the team to do their best.

  • The coach's affirmative words gave the players confidence before the big game.

Synonyms

positive
vsaffirmative
695 2.8

Having a confident or approving attitude

is specifically about expecting good things rather than mere confidence
optimistic
vsaffirmative
426 3.2

Expecting good things to happen in the future

is a broader, approving attitude not limited to future expectation
hopeful
vsaffirmative
189 1.8

Feeling positive and expecting a good result

is a steady overall outlook rather than a single brief wish
cheerful
vsaffirmative
111 1.0

Happy in a way you show with a smile or friendly actions

is about expecting good outcomes rather than only being in a good mood
upbeat
vsaffirmative
99 3.8

Feeling cheerful and hopeful, sometimes too positive for the situation

is a measured expectation of the best rather than exaggerated cheer
rosy
vsaffirmative
26 3.2

Expecting good things in the future

is a wider attitude of expecting good results across contexts
sanguine
vsaffirmative
10 7.4

Cheerful and hopeful in a difficult situation

is an overall expectation of positive outcomes rather than resilience in trouble
glass-half-full
vsaffirmative
  • Informal
3 5.8

Seeing the good side of things

is a general expectation of the best rather than just this view
Pollyannaish
vsaffirmative
9.9

Being too hopeful about things and not seeing clear problems

is a realistic expecting the best rather than naive blind faith

Antonyms

pessimistic
67 3.9

Expecting bad things to happen in the future

Compounds

affirmative action
  • US
222 4.7

A plan to help groups treated unfairly get more chances in education or work

affirmative pleading
  • Formal
9.9

A defendant's statement giving new facts to defeat the plaintiff's claim

How Positive

affirmative
14 4.2
hopeful
189 1.8
neutral
218 3.6
pessimistic
67 3.9

Surface Forms

affirmative positive

Morphology

affirmative = affirm (semi-transparent) = affirm + ative

The optimistic attitudinal meaning is an extended sense of 'positive' derived from 'affirm' + '-ative' and may not be immediately deducible for all learners.

Etymology

The word affirmative can also mean being positive or hopeful because it shares the root affirm and firm, which is about making something certain. So an affirmative attitude is a confident, 'positive' view that expects good results.