Synonyms of hopeful

hopeful 1 of 2

adjective

ˈhōp-fəl 

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

• promising
• optimistic
• bright
• encouraging
• likely
• upbeat
• heartening
• rosy
• propitious
• auspicious
• golden
• positive
• fair
• reassuring
• confident
• favorable
• good
• sure
• roseate
• rose-colored
• comforting
• doubtless
• assured
• decisive
• soothing
• cheering
• bullish
• unhesitating
• beamish
• eupeptic

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• unlikely
• desperate
• pessimistic
• hopeless
• discouraging
• dark
• gloomy
• bleak
• depressing
• dismal
• unpromising
• disheartening
• dreary
• uncertain
• doubtful
• inauspicious
• cheerless
• dubious
• negative
• downbeat
• unpropitious
• grim
• comfortless
• unfavorable
• unencouraging
• gray
• miserable
• bearish
• glum
• wretched
• funereal

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

• promising
• encouraging
• favorable
• bright
• happy
• lucky
• golden
• heartening
• propitious
• fortunate
• auspicious
• beneficial
• profitable
• prosperous
• advantageous
• fortuitous
• providential
• salutary

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hopeless
• discouraging
• unfavorable
• unpromising
• disheartening
• dim
• unfortunate
• unhappy
• inauspicious
• unpropitious
• unlucky
• disastrous
• fatal
• catastrophic
• futureless
• calamitous
• ominous
• dark
• ruinous
• gloomy
• ill
• sinister
• threatening
• dire
• menacing
• portentous
• foreboding
• baleful
• direful
• minatory
• doomy
• ill-boding

hopeful

2 of 2

noun

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

• candidate
• contender
• expectant
• applicant
• prospect
• aspirant
• campaigner
• seeker
• nominee
• competitor
• contestant
• favorite
• entry
• qualifier
• entrant
• applier
• claimant
• favorite son
• crown prince
• pretender
• spoiler
• dark horse
• running mate
• stalking horse

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• incumbent
• officeholder
• noncandidate
• awardee
• honoree
• inductee
• dropout

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hopeful

Adjective

Republicans are hopeful that New York GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman, who serves as Nassau County executive, can run up a big total in the jurisdiction that will sweep Suozzi and Gillen out of office. — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 8 Oct. 2026

What a gorgeous gift, to remain hopeful even when in the bowels of hell. — Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Time, 6 Oct. 2026

Noun

Complaints from students about deteriorating schools, teacher shortages and heavy class schedules have become the latest cause embraced by some presidential hopefuls. — ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026

Through the final weeks of the season, the Phillies were fighting tooth and nail to secure one of the NL Wild Card positions alongside other postseason hopefuls. — Scott Thompson Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Sep. 2026