Paint a Rosy Picture

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🗓️ Idiom: Paint a Rosy Picture (v)

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💬 Meaning

• To present a situation as better or more positive than it really is.
• Often used in financial or business contexts to make a company’s future or performance seem more optimistic than reality.

🧠 Example Sentences

• The CEO painted a rosy picture of the company’s growth to attract new investors.
• During the presentation, the manager painted a rosy picture of the budget, despite looming losses.
• Analysts warned that the report painted a rosy picture and left out key risks.

🏛️ Origin

This idiom comes from the artistic idea of using “rosy” or pink hues to make something appear warm, pleasant, and attractive. In speech, it refers to portraying situations in an unrealistically positive way—especially common in business reports and forecasts.

📝 Practice Exercises

1. Fill in the blank:

The spokesperson tried to __________ a rosy picture of the company’s financial future.

Answer

paint

2. Choose the correct meaning of “paint a rosy picture”:

A) Show accurate financial details
B) Present a situation in a negative light
C) Describe something as more positive than it really is

Answer

C) Describe something as more positive than it really is

3. Rewrite the sentence using the idiom:

“The CFO made everything sound great, even though the company was struggling.” → Change the sentence using: paint a rosy picture

Answer

The CFO painted a rosy picture, even though the company was struggling.

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ℹ️ Other Useful Pages

👉 Finance and Accounting Idioms
👉 Business English Idioms List
👉 Student Space
👉 Tutor Toolkit

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