hopeful

1 of 2

adjective

hope·​ful ˈhōp-fəl 

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 of hopeful

Adjective

• promising
• optimistic
• bright

Noun

• candidate
• contender
• expectant

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

Adjective

Hers is an art of transmutation, but one that never shies from showing you the pain it’s made from, at once hopeful and unflinching. — Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 18 Sep. 2026

That still left the Goats a run behind Reading with one out to go, but enough of the original crowd of 4,926 remained in Dunkin Park to get loud and hopeful as the familiar, old Whalers theme blared. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 18 Sep. 2026

Noun

The three-hour long finale saw hopefuls Jordan McCullough, Hannah Harper, and Keyla Richardson compete for the final spot. — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 16 Sep. 2026

With dozens of state bans, a recent Supreme Court ruling and 2028 hopefuls staking divergent positions, the fight over trans rights in sports is reshaping Democrats’ identity and electoral strategy. — Steve Peoples, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1720, in the meaning defined above

Kids 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