noun
- a person who is optimistic despite having little reason to be, especially one who relies on luck or expects something to turn up rather than taking action
Usage: often capitalized when referring to the character; derived from Mr. Micawber, a character in Charles Dickens's *David Copperfield*; literary or formal usage
Examples
- He's a micawber, always convinced that something will turn up to solve his financial problems.
- Despite mounting debts, the micawber in him refused to accept reality.
- She criticized her brother for being a micawber instead of finding a steady job.
- The company's strategy seemed like micawber thinking—waiting for the market to improve rather than adapting.
- His micawber outlook meant he never saved money, trusting that fortune would provide.