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
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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
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Recent Examples of hopeful
Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman, 1 Feb. 2026
Women dominate among American stars, including alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin, snowboarder Chloe Kim and downhill skier Lindsay Vonn, making a comeback at 41 and nursing a knee injury but still hopeful to compete.
—Greg Cote
february 1, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 26 Jan. 2026
But while many careers began on the Star Search stage, not every hopeful walked away a winner.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hopeful
Adjective
Barbara Hines, an immigration lawyer who spent her career ensuring immigrants could access education, feels hopeful for the Dream Act’s restoration.
—Lily Kepner, Austin American Statesman, 1 Feb. 2026
Women dominate among American stars, including alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin, snowboarder Chloe Kim and downhill skier Lindsay Vonn, making a comeback at 41 and nursing a knee injury but still hopeful to compete.
—Greg Cote
february 1, Miami Herald, 1 Feb. 2026
Noun
Carrie Underwood will once again be seated at the judges’ table, having joined the cast in 2025 when Katy Perry signed off after seven seasons, as starry-eyed hopefuls compete for a $250,000 prize and a chance at a recording contract.
—Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 26 Jan. 2026
But while many careers began on the Star Search stage, not every hopeful walked away a winner.
—Tereza Shkurtaj, PEOPLE, 25 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hopeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopeful
Adjective
-
Atlanta was, at once, one of the most promising Black cities in the country and one of the most rigidly controlled.—
Ernie Suggs,
AJC.com,
1 Feb. 2026
-
Bell wants that driver to be him, with the next chapter of a promising career written at the Daytona 500.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Some on Wall Street took Warsh’s nomination as an encouraging signal for a still-independent Fed that will keep rates high, if necessary.—
Stan Choe,
Fortune,
31 Jan. 2026
-
For two teams that have long targeted 2026 as a year to step forward, starting late is hardly an encouraging sign.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's list of candidates won the largest share of seats in November's parliamentary elections.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Even if Maliki is ultimately dropped, Iran will simply nominate another candidate who is secretly acceptable to Washington.—
Benjamin Weinthal,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The analysts, who kept their hold rating, came away from yesterday's Investor Day and earnings on Wednesday evening optimistic in the near-term about CEO Brian Niccol's turnaround but feel further progress is needed to get more excited down the road.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
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But there is certainly a reason to be optimistic about that given that both Daniel Bryan and Edge were ultimately given the greenlight to wrestle in WWE after similar injuries.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The fame Jefferson sought was the second one, closer to honor and the acceptance of one’s ideas, credit for possession of a desirable character and a favorable reputation that would outlive him.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The quarterly rebalanced assortment of large-, mid-, and small-cap RV Portfolio stocks offers an adaptable way to capitalize on favorable market conditions while minimizing losses when the market declines, as detailed in RV Portfolio performance metrics.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Former Fed governor Kevin Warsh, BlackRock executive Rick Rieder, Fed governor Christopher Waller, and White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett are among the top contenders for the position.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Jan. 2026
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The aforementioned labels, as well as a few heritage trainer brands, already have strong contenders on the market, including Adidas’s laceless Taekwondo style, which offers an especially chic way to exaggerate the profile.—
Minty Mellon,
Vogue,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Following Pretti’s death on January 24, scores of protesters have taken to the streets, armed with cell phones and bright orange whistles, as local officials implore Minnesotans to continue documenting ICE operations.—
Sophia Peyser,
CNN Money,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Sunday, February 1, marked the 68th Annual Grammy Awards, when the best and brightest in the music industry gathered in Los Angeles to fête the greatest albums and performances of the last year.—
Vogue,
Vogue,
2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Needless to say, the league and other owners weren’t happy with the 34% of $84 million annually that had come out of the bankruptcy proceedings, but the Dodgers pointed out that those terms were driven by court proceedings.—
Maury Brown,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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No home videos from happier days, now tinged with the ominousness of a tragedy in the making.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hopeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hopeful. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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