as in candidates
one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award
the three mayoral hopefuls are going to debate on local TV
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hopefuls
The team will have a difficult time manufacturing offense against contenders and playoff hopefuls without its core, including Marshall, who’s missed the last two games with a finger contusion on his right hand.
—
Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 4 Mar. 2026
Georgia made history on Tuesday, making a significant investment in its college hopefuls.
—Jason Armesto, AJC.com, 4 Mar. 2026
There are no varsity quarterbacks or Olympic hopefuls among these quirkmasters, just a heaping of outcasts who believe their lot in life rests on words like capybara and tittup.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
Cinnamon roll hopefuls line up early (especially on weekends) and buckle in for the long haul.
—Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
In Pittsburgh, the inaugural Steel City Open is happening this weekend, and Olympic hopefuls are competing in our city for the first time ever.
—Cassidy Wood, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Ten of the 17 hopefuls are first-timers on the list who'll be chosen from an international panel of 1,200+ artists, historians and music industry insiders ahead of this fall's induction ceremony.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
Ten of this year’s hopefuls are on the ballot for the first time (nominees must have released their first commercial recordings at least 25 years prior).
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
Ciara was one of 11 hopefuls to audition during Monday’s episode.
—Annie Harrigan, Billboard, 24 Feb. 2026
Mike Curtis, Dallas Morning News, 4 Mar. 2026
Georgia made history on Tuesday, making a significant investment in its college hopefuls.
—Jason Armesto, AJC.com, 4 Mar. 2026
There are no varsity quarterbacks or Olympic hopefuls among these quirkmasters, just a heaping of outcasts who believe their lot in life rests on words like capybara and tittup.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 2 Mar. 2026
Cinnamon roll hopefuls line up early (especially on weekends) and buckle in for the long haul.
—Skye Sherman, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026
In Pittsburgh, the inaugural Steel City Open is happening this weekend, and Olympic hopefuls are competing in our city for the first time ever.
—Cassidy Wood, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026
Ten of the 17 hopefuls are first-timers on the list who'll be chosen from an international panel of 1,200+ artists, historians and music industry insiders ahead of this fall's induction ceremony.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026
Ten of this year’s hopefuls are on the ballot for the first time (nominees must have released their first commercial recordings at least 25 years prior).
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 25 Feb. 2026
Ciara was one of 11 hopefuls to audition during Monday’s episode.
—Annie Harrigan, Billboard, 24 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopefuls
Noun
-
The 2020 Democratic presidential primary, the party's last open nominating contest, featured a rush to the left as candidates raced to embrace far-reaching ideas including Medicare-for-all, the Green New Deal and aggressive taxes on billionaires.—
JEFF STEIN THE WASHINGTON POST,
Arkansas Online,
6 Mar. 2026
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Aside from the opinion polls, other indicators on who may emerge from the pack a candidates are slowly emerging.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Styles’s lanes — the sleek male pop vocalist, the possible rock icon — are now brimming with contenders.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The City of Trees was one of the top five contenders for the title, WalletHub said.—
Hali Smith
March 6,
Idaho Statesman,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
From there, the military and civil service adopted similar tools to rank large pools of applicants.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 Mar. 2026
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There’s no cost for the process, and applicants usually find out their fate within six months, though that time can vary.—
Bryan Hood,
Robb Report,
3 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hopefuls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hopefuls. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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