hopeful

1 of 2

adjective

hope·​ful ˈhōp-fəl How to pronounce hopeful (audio)
Synonyms of hopefulnext
1
: having qualities which inspire hope
hopeful signs of economic recovery
2
: full of hope : inclined to hope
hopefulness noun

hopeful

2 of 2

noun

: aspirant
Olympic hopefuls

Synonyms

Adjective

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of hopeful in a Sentence

Adjective The mood is sad rather than hopeful. He was hopeful that things would get better soon. I still feel hopeful about the future.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adjective
The White House remains hopeful that peace is within reach, despite skepticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who believes Putin is not seriously considering peace. — Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025 In an interview late last year with infectious disease news site Contagion Live, Pfizer’s head of discovery and early development Charlotte Allerton was hopeful this new antiviral iteration could help a significant cohort of vulnerable patients who were previously unable to take Paxlovid. — Rich Haridy, New Atlas, 18 Mar. 2025
Noun
Each year, hundreds of NFL draft hopefuls attempt to impress future employers with a dazzling display of skill and athleticism at the NFL scouting combine, which is a major cog in the NFL draft’s evaluation machine. — Jim Reineking, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025 Grammy hopefuls are probably waiting until May to drop anything. — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 28 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hopeful

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1568, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1720, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hopeful was in 1568

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hopeful
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Cite this Entry

“Hopeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hopeful. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

hopeful

1 of 2 adjective
hope·​ful ˈhōp-fəl How to pronounce hopeful (audio)
1
: having qualities which inspire hope
2
: full of or inclined to hope
hopefulness noun

hopeful

2 of 2 noun
: a person who has hopes or is considered promising

More from Merriam-Webster on hopeful

Nglish: Translation of hopeful for Spanish Speakers

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