ENGLISH
REFERENCE

rose-colored glasses

idiom
Meaning

A cognitive or perceptual bias where an individual views something in an overly optimistic or positive light, often failing to recognize its negative aspects.


Origin

first recorded 19th c.

Phrase appears as early as 1830 according to OED. From rose-color or rose-colored (meaning "pleasant"), from the notion that roses are widely regarded as uncommonly beautiful.

Examples
SIMPLE

You wear rose-colored glasses when you think about your old school.

CONTEXTUAL

She looks at her past relationship through rose-colored glasses, forgetting all the arguments they had.

COMPLEX

The politician viewed the economic situation through rose-colored glasses, ignoring the clear signs of decline that worried the rest of the public.

Anchors to
Related idioms1entry
  1. 01

    wear rose-colored glasses

    To see the positive in things while being oblivious to the negative.

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