überoptimistisch

Überoptimistisch is a German adjective describing an attitude, forecast, or assessment that is excessively optimistic, often ignoring or downplaying risks, costs, or uncertainty. It is used for people, plans, projections, or narratives deemed unrealistically favorable and therefore less credible in hindsight. The term can appear in journalism, business analysis, and everyday discourse.

Word formation and status: The term combines the prefix über- (over, excessive) with optimistisch (optimistic). It is standard in contemporary German and appears in dictionaries and media commentary. The related noun form is Überoptimismus.

Usage and nuance: Überoptimistisch generally carries a critical or pejorative nuance, signaling imprudence or naïveté in planning or judgment. In economics, finance, and politics, it is used to criticize forecasts or expectations that fail to reflect downside risks. In everyday language, it may describe a stance that is optimistic to a fault. Examples in German include: «Die Prognose war überoptimistisch und berücksichtigte Risiken nicht» and «Die Planungen waren überoptimistisch und mussten angepasst werden.»

See also: Optimismus, Realismus, Risikobewertung.