hopefuls

noun

plural of hopeful
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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hopefuls Studios are increasingly nervous about launching awards hopefuls at festivals. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 That’s at least 1,184 football players and NFL hopefuls up for grabs. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 22 Aug. 2026 Other hopefuls need these points to make the Tour Championship cut next weekend. — Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Though the picture is mixed for the congressional hopefuls, general sentiments toward democratic socialist candidates and ideas may be warming. — Caitlin Yilek, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026 The union has endorsed 15 board hopefuls in the upcoming November election. — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026 In addition to the honorees, the event always features an A-list guest list with many awards season hopefuls. — Kirsten Chuba, HollywoodReporter, 13 Aug. 2026 Summer, though, can be a foe of glass hair hopefuls—the combination of sun, salt, chlorine, and humidity all contribute to hair becoming drier and frizzier, a concoction for dull, lackluster lengths. — Selvaggia Germani, Vogue, 10 Aug. 2026 Today, to qualify for a CEP grant, hopefuls must show popular support by raising a sum specified for their office in contributions between $5 and $340 and a number of donors must be future constituents. — Elona Vaisnys, Hartford Courant, 9 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopefuls
  1. candidates
  2. contenders
  3. applicants
Noun
  • If Woltemade leaves then Wissa, Joe Willock, who is set to stay, and Jacob Ramsey are the obvious candidates to compete to play there.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
  • During a meeting last week, officials held drawings to determine the order that candidates' names will appear on the ballot.
    — Joseph Flaherty, Arkansas Online, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of candidates
Noun
  • Here’s a closer look at the remaining meetings between division contenders.
    — LaMond Pope, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026
  • The schedule ahead will brings more challenges; the Dragons face championship contenders North Crowley and Allen before District 4-6A play.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of contenders
Noun
  • Katarzyna Nowakowska, Poland's deputy minister for family, labor and social policy, told the AP that the most vulnerable applicants still receive direct help from the state and any other refugees needing support should turn to social workers.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The law imposes penalties on cities that fail to comply with state housing laws, allows successful housing applicants to recover their legal fees, and prevents cities from requiring developers to agree to certain liability rules.
    — Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of applicants

Browse Nearby Words

hopefulness
hopefuls
hopeless
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hopefuls.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hopefuls. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All