positive
positive — noun
1. one helpful side of a situation, especially when you are weighing what is good a
one helpful side of a situation, especially when you are weighing what is good and bad.
One positive of the new job is the short walk home.
one positive of + situation
Even after the loss, Coach Lin found a positive for the team.
a positive for + group
The storm canceled the picnic, but free museum tickets were one positive.
Parents saw one positive in the longer school lunch break.
We listed the positives and negatives before renting the old house.
the positives and negatives
- one positive of
- a major positive
- a clear positive
- the positives and negatives
- advantage
the most direct everyday word for a helpful point
- benefit
often stresses a useful result rather than one point in a comparison
- plus point
more informal and often used when listing good and bad points
Grammar Patterns
one positive of + situation
a positive for + person/group
the positives and negatives
Usage Note
Common when people are comparing advantages and problems, especially in 'one positive of ...' and 'the positives and negatives'. Distinguish from sense 2, which is about a test finding, not a benefit.
Common Mistakes
2. a test finding that confirms the illness, chemical, drug, or other thing being c
a test finding that confirms the illness, chemical, drug, or other thing being checked is there.
The home kit showed a positive after only two minutes.
show a positive
By noon, the lab had reported three positives from the class.
reported three positives
Mina cried when the nurse called with a positive for flu.
a positive for + illness
A second swab gave the same positive as yesterday's test.
Airport staff stopped any passenger with a positive for the virus.
- show a positive
- get a positive
- a positive for flu
- false positive
- positive result
the full neutral phrase, especially common in medical writing
- detection
more technical and stresses that the test found something present
- hit
informal, especially in drug testing or police reports
- negative
a result showing that the thing tested for was not found
Grammar Patterns
show/get/report a positive
a positive for + illness/drug/virus
three positives from + group
Usage Note
Often follows verbs such as 'show', 'get', 'report', and 'return'. It commonly takes 'for' plus the disease, drug, or substance that was found.
Common Mistakes
3. a finished photograph whose light and dark parts match the real scene, often mad
a finished photograph whose light and dark parts match the real scene, often made from a negative.
The shop printed two positives from our wedding film.
print positives from film
Grandpa kept the negatives in one box and the positives in another.
positives and negatives
Under the lamp, Eva compared the positive with the painted wall.
The class learned how a negative becomes a positive in the darkroom.
negative becomes a positive
The museum showed large positives beside the old cameras.
- print a positive
- a positive from a negative
- large positive
- positives and negatives
- print
the usual photography word for a finished photo on paper
- photograph
the general everyday word, without the technical contrast with a negative
- enlargement
a positive printed at a larger size
- negative
the reversed film image from which a positive is made
Grammar Patterns
print a positive
a positive from a negative
positives and negatives
Usage Note
Mainly used in film photography and often contrasted with 'negative'. In modern everyday English, many learners are more likely to hear 'photo' or 'print' unless people are talking about film or darkroom work.
Common Mistakes
positive — adjective
1. feeling that things are likely to go well, or making other people expect a good
feeling that things are likely to go well, or making other people expect a good result.
After two strong interviews, Nina felt positive about the job.
be positive about + noun
The latest sales numbers gave the small shop a positive outlook.
positive outlook
Even after the storm, Mr. Wu stayed positive and reopened early.
stay positive
A positive message from the coach calmed the nervous team.
- positive attitude
- positive outlook
- stay positive
- positive sign
- positive message
- optimistic
stronger about expecting a good future result
- hopeful
close in meaning, but slightly less firm than positive
- encouraging
used more for signs, news, or results than for a person's attitude
- negative
opposite in attitude or effect
- pessimistic
expecting bad results rather than good ones
Grammar Patterns
be positive about + noun/gerund
stay positive
a positive outlook
Usage Note
Often used with about, outlook, attitude, or sign. Distinguish from sense 2 CERTAIN: this sense looks toward a good result, while sense 2 expresses no doubt about a fact.
Common Mistakes
2. so sure about a fact, answer, or explanation that no doubt is left.
so sure about a fact, answer, or explanation that no doubt is left.
I'm positive that Leo left his keys on the kitchen table.
be positive that + clause
Detective Shah was positive the voice belonged to their driver.
be positive + clause without that
The red stamp is positive proof that the form was approved.
positive proof
Dr. Chen is positive the mark came from a cat bite.
- be positive that
- positive proof
- absolutely positive
- quite positive
Grammar Patterns
be positive that + clause
be positive + clause without that
positive proof
Usage Note
Usually appears after be, especially in be positive (that).... Distinguish from sense 1 HOPEFUL, which is about expecting good results rather than knowing something is true.
Common Mistakes
3. describing a test, scan, or result that shows a disease, drug, or other thing is
describing a test, scan, or result that shows a disease, drug, or other thing is present.
The lab report showed a positive result for lead in the water.
positive result
Yesterday's flu test came back positive before lunch ended.
test came back positive
The airport scan gave a positive reading for metal.
positive reading
The blood screen was positive, so the nurse called again.
- positive test
- positive result
- positive reading
- positive screen
- positive report
- negative
showing that the tested thing was not found
Grammar Patterns
a positive test/result
the test came back positive
a positive reading
Usage Note
Usually modifies nouns such as test, result, screen, reading, and report. Distinguish from sense 4 TESTED POSITIVE, where the subject is the person, animal, sample, or thing that received the result.
Common Mistakes
4. describing a person, animal, sample, or object whose test has shown something pr
describing a person, animal, sample, or object whose test has shown something present.
Maya tested positive for flu after the school trip.
test positive for + illness
Two milk samples were positive for bacteria by Friday morning.
be positive for + substance
The dog was positive for worms during its first check.
After the race, one rider tested positive for a banned drug.
test positive for + drug
- test positive for
- be positive for
- positive for flu
- positive for bacteria
- positive for a banned drug
- infected
only for living things and only when the test is for disease
- contaminated
used for food, water, or objects rather than people
- negative
having a test result that does not show the suspected thing
Grammar Patterns
test positive for + noun
be positive for + noun
sample was positive for + substance
Usage Note
Common after linking verbs and especially in the pattern test positive for .... Distinguish from sense 3 SHOWING PRESENCE, where positive describes the test, report, or result itself.
Common Mistakes
5. in grammar, describing a sentence or phrase that states something and is not neg
in grammar, describing a sentence or phrase that states something and is not negative or a question.
In class, "I like apples" is a positive sentence.
positive sentence
The teacher changed the question into a positive statement.
positive statement
Our workbook asks students to turn each negative clause positive.
turn a clause positive
During practice, Ken wrote three positive sentences and one question.
- positive sentence
- positive statement
- positive clause
- turn a sentence positive
- affirmative
the closest grammar term
- declarative
close, but declarative focuses on sentence type and can still be negative
- negative
contains grammatical negation
- interrogative
used for questions rather than statements
Grammar Patterns
a positive sentence
a positive statement
turn a clause positive
Usage Note
Grammar term for sentences or clauses that state something without negation. Distinguish from sense 6 BASE DEGREE, which is about adjective and adverb forms such as tall or quickly.
Common Mistakes
6. in grammar, describing the basic form of a word like tall or fast, before compar
in grammar, describing the basic form of a word like tall or fast, before comparison is added.
In grammar, "tall" is the positive form of the adjective.
positive form
The worksheet pairs the positive adverb "fast" with "faster" and "fastest".
positive adverb
Before learning comparison, the class reviewed positive adjectives like "small".
The chart shows each word in its positive, comparative, and superlative forms.
positive, comparative, superlative
- positive form
- positive adjective
- positive adverb
- positive degree
- base form
a common teaching label for the unmodified form
- plain form
less technical and less common in grammar books
- comparative
shows a higher or lower degree
- superlative
shows the highest or lowest degree
Grammar Patterns
the positive form of an adjective
a positive adverb
in the positive form
Usage Note
Used only when talking about degrees of comparison. Distinguish from sense 5 AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCE, which is about whole clauses rather than single describing words.
Common Mistakes
7. used before a noun to stress that something is total or absolute.
used before a noun to stress that something is total or absolute.
That traffic jam was a positive disaster for the wedding schedule.
intensifier before a negative noun
Everyone agreed that Greg was a positive fool to sell the farm.
By noon, the leaking pipe had become a positive nuisance.
The broken lift was a positive nightmare for Grandma Lee.
- positive disaster
- positive fool
- positive nuisance
- positive nightmare
- partial
not total or not complete
Grammar Patterns
positive + noun
Usage Note
Only used before a noun. It often appears with strongly negative nouns such as disaster, fool, nuisance, or nightmare, where it adds force rather than the usual sense of something good.
Common Mistakes
8. used for figures or quantities that are above zero.
used for figures or quantities that are above zero.
Any positive number on this side of the line is red.
collocation: positive number
After payday, Mia's bank balance was positive again.
collocation: positive balance
The graph stayed positive until sales fell in October.
If x is positive, the answer must be above zero.
- positive number
- positive balance
- positive value
- positive result
- above zero
the plain explanatory phrase for this sense
- plus
used especially for values or directions marked with a plus sign
- greater than zero
more formal wording, especially in maths
Grammar Patterns
positive + number/value/balance
Usage Note
Common in maths, science, and finance. It often modifies words such as number, value, balance, or result and only describes a value on the plus side of zero.
Common Mistakes
9. having an electric charge in which protons outnumber electrons.
having an electric charge in which protons outnumber electrons.
After the spark, the metal ball was positive for a moment.
The diagram shows a positive ion near the top plate.
collocation: positive ion
When electrons leave the atom, it becomes positive.
The red wire connects to the positive terminal on the battery.
collocation: positive terminal
- positive charge
- positive ion
- positive terminal
- positive electrode
- positively charged
the full descriptive phrase for this scientific sense
- cationic
a more technical word, usually in chemistry
- negative
having the opposite electric charge
Grammar Patterns
positive + charge/ion/terminal
Usage Note
Usually used with charge, ion, terminal, pole, or electrode. Distinguish from adjective/3 and adjective/4, where positive is about test results rather than electricity.
Common Mistakes
10. having the Rh marker in the blood and shown with a plus sign after the blood gro
having the Rh marker in the blood and shown with a plus sign after the blood group.
Nora is O positive, so the nurse checked both labels twice.
blood group + positive
The baby turned out to be A positive like his father.
Ken wrote B positive on the school health form.
Her donor card shows AB positive in bold black letters.
- O positive
- A positive
- AB positive
- B positive
- Rh-positive
the standard medical label
- plus
short form used after the blood-group symbol, as in O-plus
- Rh-negative
without the Rh marker
Grammar Patterns
A/B/AB/O + positive
Usage Note
Usually follows a blood-group letter or name, as in A positive or O positive. In medical writing it is often shortened to a plus sign, as in B+.
Common Mistakes
11. describing an image whose light and dark areas look the same as in the real scen
describing an image whose light and dark areas look the same as in the real scene.
The lab printed a positive image from the old film strip.
collocation: positive image
In a positive photo, the sky stays light and the coat stays dark.
Mina compared the negative with the final positive under a lamp.
contrast: negative and positive
The teacher showed a positive print beside the reversed negative frame.
- positive image
- positive print
- positive photo
- positive film
- true-to-life
broader phrase for an image whose tones match reality
- natural-looking
more everyday wording and less technical than the photographic term
- negative
an image with light and dark areas reversed
Grammar Patterns
positive + image/print
Usage Note
Usually used with image, print, or film and often contrasted with negative. The key idea is that the tones match the real subject instead of being reversed.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- positivelyadverbB2
- positivitynounC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
For adjective sense 1, positive is a broad everyday word for expecting good results or keeping a constructive attitude. Optimistic is close, but it often sounds stronger and more general, especially about the future. Hopeful suggests that the outcome is not certain yet, but there is still a reason to expect improvement. Confident focuses more on trust in success, ability, or a plan than on mood. Upbeat is more informal and often describes lively, cheerful energy in the way someone speaks or behaves. Use positive for both attitude and encouragement: She stayed positive after the interview. Use confident when certainty is the main idea: The coach was confident the team would recover.
Etymology
Positive came into English through Old French positif and late Latin positivus. Those forms go back to Latin ponere, meaning 'to place' or 'put'. Earlier uses were about something clearly stated or firmly established, and English later developed senses such as 'certain', 'affirmative', and then the common modern sense 'hopeful' or 'favorable'.