# Pollyanna creep

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. The practice of a government modifying the way that economic measures are calculated, in order to give a more optimistic impression of economic development.

## Etymology
Coined by the economic analyst and statistician John Williams, from Pollyanna (“one who is persistently cheerful and optimistic”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/pollyanna-creep