hopeful

1 of 2

adjective

hope·​ful ˈhōp-fəl How to pronounce hopeful (audio)
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

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
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
Definite recommend was an OK 57% on Screen Engine/Comscore’s PostTrak; a score in the mid-60s- to 70-percentile range indicates a hopeful tentpole has electricity. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 20 Oct. 2025 At first, Heather stayed hopeful. Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
Reid had come to Music City like so many guitar-picking hopefuls. Keith Sharon, Nashville Tennessean, 21 Oct. 2025 Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive look at the new trailer for season 2, in which 10 handsome hopefuls compete for the chance to be Hallmark Channel's next Christmas movie star. Kristen Baldwin, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Oct. 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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Cite this Entry

“Hopeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hopeful. Accessed 22 Oct. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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