1
as in promising
having qualities which inspire hope
economists are offering a hopeful forecast for a healthy economy in the coming year
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in encouraging
pointing toward a happy outcome
in a hopeful response to the ad, several people called to say they'd seen our lost cat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in candidate
one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award
the three mayoral hopefuls are going to debate on local TV
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of hopeful
Molly Mary O’Brien, Pitchfork, 15 May 2026
Part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West, this fresh adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s iconic semi-autobiographical Little House books offers a kaleidoscopic view of the struggles and triumphs of those who shaped the frontier.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
And yes, the Senate hopeful is related to Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove; Ed is Joe’s uncle.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hopeful
Adjective
The song closes with a coda of saz and mandolin, mournful and hopeful in equal measure.
—Molly Mary O’Brien, Pitchfork, 15 May 2026
Part hopeful family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West, this fresh adaptation of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s iconic semi-autobiographical Little House books offers a kaleidoscopic view of the struggles and triumphs of those who shaped the frontier.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Noun
Thick deposits of the isotope will be music to the ears of helium-3 hopefuls.
—Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
And yes, the Senate hopeful is related to Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove; Ed is Joe’s uncle.
—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for hopeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopeful
Adjective
-
For members of the state’s business community, that was a promising focus, one that closely aligned with their own goals.—
P.R. Lockhart,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
-
The three hitters who drove in runs that inning, Shohei Ohtani, Andy Pages and Kyle Tucker, had been trending upward at the plate of late, a promising sign for an offense overdue for a hot streak.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Whether this year is another blip or the start of at least a small rebuild is of course impossible to say yet, but the number of shows increasing (as did the number of pilots networks made) is an encouraging sign.—
Rick Porter,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
-
As such, Google Project Zero is strongly encouraging vendors to improve their proactive software development practices to prevent these kinds of vulnerabilities from ever reaching end users.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
This June, the Brooklyn Can’t Wait slate of reform-minded candidates is running to build a transparent, accountable, and inclusive party.—
Adam Davis,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
-
If accepted, candidates may begin attending seminary school, which, like other forms of higher education, will include classes, exams and studying.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Johnson’s Anaia is much sweeter, and though there’s some ferocity inside her too, the movie leaves her in a compassionate, optimistic place.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
15 May 2026
-
Everyone on the Titan mission is, with good reason, more optimistic about meeting their own challenges.—
Sophie Brookover,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Some time later, a colleague convinced him to rein in his gland reductions, arguing that the glands could instead be moved into a more favorable position by adjusting the platysma using a specific technique.—
Jolene Edgar,
Allure,
14 May 2026
-
The lawsuit argues that allowing such a transfer could create incentives for states to enrich a president in hopes of favorable federal treatment.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Barring an Eric Swalwell-style blow-up, the top three — Becerra, Steyer and Hilton — are really the only true contenders.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
15 May 2026
-
King is more likely to be a lock for the practice squad than a legitimate contender for the 53-man roster entering OTAs.—
Mike Kaye
Updated May 14,
Charlotte Observer,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Because a bright sky helps subdue Venus's glare, this is a good time to inspect the planet telescopically, though its gibbous disk remains rather small and approximately seven-eighths illuminated.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
18 May 2026
-
The trick is not to chase every bright idea.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Staff is super attentive and happy to break down the menu to newcomers.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 May 2026
-
My occupations have given me a happy, humble, quiet life, but always nagging in the back of my mind has been a case of impostor syndrome.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hopeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hopeful. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
