hopeful
10 synonyms and 3 antonyms for hopeful, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Feeling or expressing hope; expecting a good outcome.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. adj
Feeling or expressing hope; expecting a good outcome.
“She stayed hopeful even after three rejections.”
Opposites
How to use hopeful
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
remain hopeful
cautiously hopeful
a young hopeful
Etymology
From hope + the suffix -ful ("full of").
Full origin of hopeful →Frequently asked questions
What does “hopeful” mean?
The word “hopeful” means feeling or expressing hope; expecting a good outcome. In plain terms, feeling optimistic, or (as a noun) a person expected to do well.
How do you pronounce “hopeful”?
“Hopeful” is pronounced HOHPFL (/ˈhoʊpfl̩/ in IPA).
How do you use “hopeful” in a sentence?
Here is “hopeful” used in a sentence: “She stayed hopeful even after three rejections.”
What is the opposite of “hopeful”?
The opposite of “hopeful” — its antonyms — are hopeless, desperate and dejected.
What part of speech is “hopeful”?
Depending on how it is used, “hopeful” can be an adjective and a noun.
Is “hopeful” a common word?
“Hopeful” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “hopeful” have?
“Hopeful” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: feeling or expressing hope; expecting a good outcome.
What is the difference between hopeful and optimistic?
Hopeful means feeling or expressing hope that a good outcome will happen, often about a specific situation, while optimistic describes a more general tendency to expect good things in life overall.
What does hopeful mean as a noun, like 'a leadership hopeful'?
As a noun, a hopeful is someone who is tipped or expected to succeed at something, especially a candidate competing in an election, contest, or selection process.
Can hopeful describe both people and situations?
Yes. You can describe a person as hopeful about an outcome, and you can also describe a situation, sign, or piece of news as hopeful if it suggests things may turn out well.
