HOPE Synonyms: 106 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'hope' contrast with its synonyms?

The words expect and look are common synonyms of hope . While all three words mean "to await some occurrence or outcome," hope implies little certainty but suggests confidence or assurance in the possibility that what one desires or longs for will happen. // hopes to find a job soon

Q: When is 'expect' a more appropriate choice than 'hope'?

In some situations, the words expect and hope are roughly equivalent. However, expect implies a high degree of certainty and usually involves the idea of preparing or envisioning. // expects to be finished by Tuesday

Q: When would 'look' be a good substitute for 'hope'?

While the synonyms look and hope are close in meaning, look , with to , implies assurance that expectations will be fulfilled; with for it implies less assurance and suggests an attitude of expectancy and watchfulness. // looks to a tidy profit from the sale // look for rain when the wind shifts to the northeast

hope 1 of 2

verb

Definition of hope

as in to wish

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Relevance

hope

2 of 2

noun

as in hopefulness

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

as in confidence

Related Words

as in plan

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb hope contrast with its synonyms?

The words expect and look are common synonyms of hope. While all three words mean "to await some occurrence or outcome," hope implies little certainty but suggests confidence or assurance in the possibility that what one desires or longs for will happen.

hopes to find a job soon

When is expect a more appropriate choice than hope?

In some situations, the words expect and hope are roughly equivalent. However, expect implies a high degree of certainty and usually involves the idea of preparing or envisioning.

expects to be finished by Tuesday

When would look be a good substitute for hope?

While the synonyms look and hope are close in meaning, look, with to, implies assurance that expectations will be fulfilled; with for it implies less assurance and suggests an attitude of expectancy and watchfulness.

looks to a tidy profit from the sale

look for rain when the wind shifts to the northeast

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 hope

Verb

Officials hope to repopulate vulnerable species Giant pandas once roamed vast swaths of China, northern Myanmar and Vietnam, but their habitats shrank due to human encroachment and climate change. — Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026 After all, American carmakers hope to continue selling their cars in foreign markets that may have stricter emissions standards. — Willa Rubin, NPR, 28 Sep. 2026

Noun

Despite the tensions brought up by the elections, there was a latent sense of camaraderie and hope at the festival in the days since the first round at the polls. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026 What could that dirt road and the horizon beyond it mean—hope or hopelessness? — Hilton Als, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hope

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hope

Verb

And everyone in that crowd wished Busch, himself, could look back.

— Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 10 Oct. 2026
The group welcomed Rimmer into the Priest family and wished Hill well in retirement.

— SPIN Staff, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of wish

Noun

Gays are actually staying in Jamaica, which tells me there’s now a sort of hopefulness.

— Matt Ortile, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Sep. 2026
Hope and persistence pay off Some of the happiest children are those who maintain a sense of hopefulness and possibility.

— Liz Rosenberg, The Conversation, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of hopefulness

Noun

Economists like Robert Lucas and Edward Prescott — who each won Nobel Prizes — challenged Keynesian economics and its confidence that government policy could effectively smooth out the economy's ups and downs.

— Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 13 Oct. 2026
The Moon in your sign squares Jupiter, making confidence, frustration, desire, or impatience harder to moderate.

— Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of confidence

Noun

Either way, Rahimi balances the character’s clear vulnerability with just enough ambiguity about his plans for the school, accentuated through Majidi’s restrained and naturalistic approach.

— Kambole Campbell, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
This set off a series of jokes between Meriwether and the cast, along with confirmation that there are no real plans for a reunion at this time.

— Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of plan

Verb

James, along with Sawitskas and his pals, want the carousel to be restored to its original glory, a magnificent, gleaming merry-go-round that inspired Disney to dream.

— Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026
Cyclovia is about people who have turned a simple machine into a way of surviving, celebrating and dreaming, and John’s whole body of work is about pulling Latin stories out of the margins and into the centre of the culture.

— Damon Wise, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of dream

Noun

When asked about potential trust issues, Al Hassan pointed to the government’s history of completing projects and handling emergencies, like the pandemic.

— Inzamam Rashid, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
But the companies—which have not consistently met academic norms—don’t have every scientist’s trust.

— Peter Hall, Scientific American, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of trust

Noun

The main idea of the company is to automate parts of these missions so personnel can concentrate on operational decisions rather than manually managing every aspect of a drone’s flight or sensor operation.

— Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2026
Today, Sarah Stewart and Anthony Cataldo keep the spirit of Perse’s original idea alive in the West Hollywood store.

— Viv Chen, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of idea

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hop

hope

hope chest

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“Hope.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hope. Accessed 15 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of hope

verb

noun

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Synonyms of hope

verb

noun

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