as in candidates
one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award
the three mayoral hopefuls are going to debate on local TV
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Recent Examples of hopefuls
Making that case will take work, but he is widely viewed as a possible front runner in the party’s emerging field of presidential hopefuls.
—
Philip Elliott, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
That way, the state’s substantial liberal voting base gets diluted among a platoon of Democratic hopefuls, pushing the two conservatives into the November runoff.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
The eight inductees triumphed from the pool of 17 hopefuls trying to earn a spot, with one of them, Collins, now joining the exclusive Rock Hall Two-Timers Club due to his previous induction for Genesis.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Nearly all of the hopefuls have either expressed interest or have not shut down the idea about running for president.
—Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Originally introduced as a G League development team, Ignite offered NBA hopefuls an alternate path to the pros, with the opportunity to make money along the way.
—Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Now, a new group of Olympic hopefuls — those aspiring to be spectators for the 2028 Summer Games — are preparing to drop hundreds or thousands of dollars at once on their journey to the stands in Los Angeles.
—Personal Finance Columnist, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026
For a majority of college hopefuls and their families, the financial aid offer is key in choosing where to attend and how to cover the tab.
—Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2026
Change-minded hopefuls, about 42% of the total, are mostly women and people with low incomes.
—George E. Mitchell, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
Philip Elliott, Time, 15 Apr. 2026
That way, the state’s substantial liberal voting base gets diluted among a platoon of Democratic hopefuls, pushing the two conservatives into the November runoff.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2026
The eight inductees triumphed from the pool of 17 hopefuls trying to earn a spot, with one of them, Collins, now joining the exclusive Rock Hall Two-Timers Club due to his previous induction for Genesis.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 14 Apr. 2026
Nearly all of the hopefuls have either expressed interest or have not shut down the idea about running for president.
—Hannah Demissie, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026
Originally introduced as a G League development team, Ignite offered NBA hopefuls an alternate path to the pros, with the opportunity to make money along the way.
—Lindsay Schnell, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
Now, a new group of Olympic hopefuls — those aspiring to be spectators for the 2028 Summer Games — are preparing to drop hundreds or thousands of dollars at once on their journey to the stands in Los Angeles.
—Personal Finance Columnist, San Francisco Chronicle, 8 Apr. 2026
For a majority of college hopefuls and their families, the financial aid offer is key in choosing where to attend and how to cover the tab.
—Jessica Dickler, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2026
Change-minded hopefuls, about 42% of the total, are mostly women and people with low incomes.
—George E. Mitchell, The Conversation, 3 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopefuls
Noun
-
There are candidates on the bench to still crack the postseason rotation if needed, too.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
More than a half-dozen potential candidates are speaking here to make inroads among Black leaders, one of Democrats' most powerful voting blocs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The talk revolved around Eric Swalwell, the 45-year-old congressman from the East Bay and one of the top Democratic contenders for California governor.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Progressives want the party to adopt official language that all Democratic presidential contenders oppose money from dark-money groups, or super PACs that aren't required to disclose their donors.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Gun applicants must be at least 21 years old and go through a rigorous medical clearance and background check process.—
Robert McGreevy,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Much of the recruiting shortfall has been tied to a shrinking pool of qualified applicants.—
Steven Beynon,
ABC News,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hopefuls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hopefuls. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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