Idiom idiom
negative Nancy
Meaning
A person who is considered excessively and disagreeably pessimistic.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“Don't be such a negative Nancy about the party.”
“Every time we suggest a new project, he acts like a negative Nancy and complains about the risks.”
“While the team brainstormed innovative solutions, the negative Nancy in the room consistently dismissed every idea as destined for failure.”
Anchors to
Last updated August 10, 2026