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
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Recent Examples of hopeful
Zuri Primos
june 13, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
Other fans are hopeful that Game 5 will be the right environment for a win.
—Amina Kilpatrick, NBC news, 13 June 2026
Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
As would current World Cup hopefuls, since the last one saw a record five matches go to a nerve-biting penalty shootout.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hopeful
Adjective
Garinger, more hopeful, thinks there’s a chance that USA could take it all, based off the game.
—Zuri Primos
june 13, Kansas City Star, 13 June 2026
Other fans are hopeful that Game 5 will be the right environment for a win.
—Amina Kilpatrick, NBC news, 13 June 2026
Noun
Non-mandatory audition prep classes are taught by current and former cheerleaders and are said to help hopefuls come audition time.
—Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 10 June 2026
As would current World Cup hopefuls, since the last one saw a record five matches go to a nerve-biting penalty shootout.
—Frank Landymore, Futurism, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for hopeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopeful
Adjective
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One by one, an announcer began calling up the women whose play had marked the tournament - its top goal scorer, its most promising player.—
Ryan Lenora Brown,
NPR,
14 June 2026
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That is why some of the city’s most promising ideas involve encouraging investment while preserving character.—
Sarah M. Boye,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
Adjective
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Eco effort The Mollie has a focus on being eco-friendly with carafes of water instead of bottles, encouraging to save towels for a few days at a time, and even partnering with Rivian, the electric car manufacturer, to offer all-electric shuttles to the mountain and the airport.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
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Despite the concerning drought conditions, climate outlooks are showing some encouraging signs for the months ahead.—
Callie Zanandrie,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Noun
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None of the Senate candidates surpassed the 50% threshold required to win, and Ossoff and Warnock headed to a January 2021 runoff against their Republican opponents.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
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Burnham was promptly selected as Labour’s candidate, making Thursday’s by-election perhaps the most consequential in British history.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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The German government acknowledged the companies’ inability to cooperate on the jet but, speaking at the Berlin Air Show this week, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz struck an optimistic tone, looking ahead to what the countries could still achieve with the rest of the FCAS project.—
Joseph Ataman,
CNN Money,
13 June 2026
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Pickens’ answer to the Star-Telegram seemed less optimistic.—
Nick Harris
June 11,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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The upcoming World Cup clash between the US and Australia has unexpectedly escalated into a fierce rivalry, despite both teams initially celebrating their favorable draw.—
Ian Nicholas Quillen,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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National Weather Service A tornado watch means weather conditions are favorable for tornadoes and severe thunderstorms to develop.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
Noun
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For anyone venturing off-the-grid or out deep in nature, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is a top contender as a rugged, adventure-suitable wearable.—
Cierra Cowan,
PC Magazine,
18 June 2026
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For the full rankings from Jon, including the Top 7 contenders, click here.—
Alex Connor,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
Adjective
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Just use Dubhe and Merak, the two bright stars in the front edge of the pot of the Big Dipper, opposite the handle, as pointer stars to Polaris.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
14 June 2026
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Initial crowds were eager to watch the twisty conspiracy thriller on the biggest and brightest screens, with premium large formats representing a mighty 48% of grosses.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
14 June 2026
Adjective
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The day shift also starts making factory-work jokes, with Rekha playing a perky do-bee who just wants to make the boss happy, and Lily adopting an agitator role, demanding workman’s comp and trying to spark revolt.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
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At a waterfront resort, there's always something to keep everyone in the family happy.—
Beth Luberecki,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hopeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hopeful. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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