1
: full of hope
The mood is sad rather than hopeful.
a hopeful message
: feeling or showing hope
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
2
: giving someone feelings of hope
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.
plural hopefuls
: a person who hopes to do something
a presidential hopeful [=a person who hopes to become president]
young hopefuls in Hollywood
Cite this Entry
“Hopeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/hopeful. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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