To act optimistically or as an optimist.
"She decided to optimize her response by framing every challenge as a new opportunity."
In plain English: To optimize something means to make it work as well and efficiently as possible by improving its performance.
"You should optimize your study schedule to get better grades with less stress."
Usage: Do not use this definition; it appears to be incorrect, and the word actually means to make something as effective or functional as possible by improving its design or operation. You should instead choose "optimistic" if you intend to describe someone who expects positive outcomes.
The word optimize appeared in English in 1844 as a back-formation derived from the noun optimist. Originally created by removing the suffix "-ize" to form a new verb, it entered usage with the meaning of making something optimal or best possible.