glass-half-empty

English

Alternative forms

• glass half empty

Etymology

From the expression "Is the glass half empty or half full?", the answer to which is said to determine whether a person is optimistic or pessimistic.

Pronunciation

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Adjective

glass-half-empty (not comparable)

1. (idiomatic, of a person) pessimistic
   • 2006, Laura Klepacki, Avon: Building The World's Premier Company For Women:

     Susan Kropf, the company's president and chief operating officer, says that while the management team is “by nature optimistic,” there is a “glass half empty kind of mentality.” Says Kropf. “We always think about what more we could have done, or how we could have done it better.”

Antonyms

• glass-half-full