How much liquid is in this glass? Is it half full? Or, is it half empty? It has long been said that a pessimistic person will see the glass as half empty while an optimistic person will see the glass as half full.
If fact, this little adage, or proverbial maxim has been repeated so many times that both versions have become their own English idioms.
So, these idioms describe your attitude and whether you generally have a positive or negative attitude.
Meaning of Idiom ‘Glass Half Empty’ or ‘Glass Half Full’
A person who ‘sees the glass as half full‘ has a generally positive outlook, and a person who ‘sees the glass as half empty‘ has a generally negative outlook.
When each version of the idiom is used, it is understood that the other version exists as an option. In other words, neither of these idioms works without knowing the meaning of the other.
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Usage Notes
If you want to say someone is a pessimist you can say that he or she “sees the glass as half empty.” You can also use the expression as an adjective. “He’s a glass half empty person.”
Examples Of Use
“Dimitry has a great attitude. He always sees the glass as half full.”
“You’ll have to ignore Barbara’s griping. She tends to see the glass as half empty.”
“I’m a glass half full kind of person. I think things will work out for the best.”
“The president is pretending that everything is fine. He is clearly ignoring the fact that the people are seeing the glass as half-empty right now.”
More Idioms Starting with G
- Get Out of My Hair
- Go Over the Same Old Ground
- Get With It
- Get With the Program
- Going to (Will) Murder (Kill) Someone
More Character Idioms
- Pain in the Neck, a
- Good Egg
- Bad Egg
- Show Your True Colors, to
- Salt of the Earth, the
- Not Have A ______ Bone In One’s Body
- Heart of Gold, to have a
- Give the Shirt Off One’s Back
More Full Idioms
More Empty Idioms
More Glass Idioms
More Half Idioms