Meaning & use

hopeful

adjective·Everyday

Feeling or expressing optimism that something desired will happen.

See it in a sentence

We remain hopeful that the surgery will fully restore her mobility.

The hopeful crowd waited outside the theater for tickets to go on sale.

A note on using this word

Hopeful is milder than confident; it expresses a wish backed by some reason for optimism, not certainty.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Another way to use it

2. noun

A person who seems likely to succeed or is seeking success in a particular field.

Several young hopefuls auditioned for a single spot in the orchestra.

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