1
: having qualities which inspire hope
hopeful signs of economic recovery
2
: full of hope : inclined to hope
hopefulness
noun
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.
She is hopeful of winning the race.
a hopeful tone of voice
There are hopeful signs that the crisis may end soon.
The movie has a hopeful ending.
Investigators report that there have been some hopeful developments in the case.
Noun
the three mayoral hopefuls are going to debate on local TV
Recent Examples on the Web
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
Sam Davies, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025
Demand was instant and overwhelming, with tens of thousands of hopefuls registering for a chance to buy one.
—Roberta Naas, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hopeful
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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
Eventually the internet provided a community, in the shape of like-minded teenage hopefuls producing music for SoundCloud.
—Sam Davies, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025
Demand was instant and overwhelming, with tens of thousands of hopefuls registering for a chance to buy one.
—Roberta Naas, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hopeful
Cite this Entry
“Hopeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hopeful. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
hopeful
1 of 2 adjective
hope·ful
ˈhōp-fəl 
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
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