hopeful
gb/hˈoʊpfəl/ us/hˈoʊpfəl/
B1
English
~ 6900
Senses
0 senses
unknown
B1
property
1
feeling positive about the future
Feeling sure, or almost sure, that something good will happen.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is hopeful that [clause]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"I hopeful we can win"* instead of *"I am hopeful we can win"* or *"I hope we can win"*. Use "am/is/are + hopeful" as an adjective, or use the verb "hope" directly. Also, use "hopeful that" or "hopeful about", not *"hopeful for that"* (say "hopeful that it will happen" or "hopeful for a better future").
Synonyms
optimistic (Stronger and slightly more formal; often suggests a generally positive attitude, not just about one situation.)
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confident (Emphasizes a strong belief that success will happen, sometimes with less focus on emotional hope.)
Antonyms
pessimistic (Describes expecting bad results or focusing on negative possibilities, the opposite of being hopeful.)
|
doubtful (Focuses on not believing that something will happen or be true, rather than expecting a good result.)
Collocations
remain hopeful
|feel hopeful
|hopeful about the future
|hopeful that [clause]
|cautiously hopeful
Themes
emotions
|attitudes
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Doctors are hopeful that she will make a full recovery.
- I’m hopeful that we can reach an agreement by Friday.
- Despite the bad news, he sounded surprisingly hopeful on the phone.
- The community remains hopeful that the missing children will be found safe.
- Her message was short but hopeful, thanking everyone for their support.
Learner examples
- I am hopeful that you will come.
- They are hopeful about the new project.
- We feel hopeful after talking to the doctor.
- The teacher is hopeful that the class will pass the test.
- She stays hopeful even when life is hard.
unknown
B2
property
2
promising; likely to succeed
Making people think that success or a good result is likely.
Usage pattern:
[something] is a hopeful sign for [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes mix this meaning with the "feeling" meaning. In *"a hopeful sign"* or *"a hopeful start"*, the thing itself does not "feel" hope; it makes people think success is likely. If you want to talk about a person’s feeling, say *"She is hopeful"*; if you want to talk about how something appears, say *"It is a hopeful sign/situation"*.
Synonyms
promising (Very close in meaning; common when talking about people or things that seem likely to do well in the future.)
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encouraging (Stresses that the facts or results make people feel more positive, not just that success is probable.)
Antonyms
hopeless (Suggests no chance of success at all, or a situation giving no reason to expect good results.)
|
discouraging (Describes signs or results that make success seem less likely or make people feel negative.)
Collocations
hopeful sign
|hopeful start
|hopeful prospect
|hopeful candidate
|hopeful situation
Themes
attitudes
|work
|science
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Early test results are hopeful, but more research is needed.
- The talks have taken a hopeful turn after months of deadlock.
- Her first novel showed a hopeful talent for storytelling.
- The rise in employment is a hopeful sign for the economy.
- It wasn’t a perfect performance, but it was a hopeful start to the season.
Learner examples
- These numbers are a hopeful sign for the company.
- The first meeting was difficult, but the second one was more hopeful.
- The new medicine gives a hopeful message to many patients.
- This small success is a hopeful start for our team.
- The results look hopeful, but we must wait.
unknown
B2
entity
3
person expected to succeed
A person who wants to win or get something and is seen as likely to get it.
Usage pattern:
[a/one] [type] hopeful for [prize/position]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes forget that "hopeful" here is a noun and say *"many hopeful"* instead of *"many hopefuls"*. Use the plural -s when talking about more than one person, especially in headlines like *"Olympic hopefuls"*. Also, do not say *"He is hopeful for president"* when you mean the noun; instead say *"He is a presidential hopeful"*.
Synonyms
contender (Neutral, often in sports or competitions; does not necessarily suggest a high chance of success, only that the person is in the fight.)
|
candidate (Common in jobs and elections; more formal and neutral, without the extra idea that success is likely.)
Antonyms
outsider (A person in a competition who is not expected to win, the opposite of a hopeful with good chances.)
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underdog (Someone expected to lose or with a small chance of success, contrasted with a hopeful who is expected to do well.)
Collocations
presidential hopeful
|Olympic hopeful
|young hopeful
|top hopeful
|leading hopeful
Themes
sports
|politics
|careers
|work
Examples
- Several presidential hopefuls have already begun their campaigns.
- She’s a strong hopeful for a place on the national team.
- Local Olympic hopefuls train at the center year-round.
- The company interviewed six hopefuls for the marketing role.
- Dozens of young hopefuls lined up to audition for the show.
Learner examples
- Many Olympic hopefuls train for years.
- There are four hopefuls for the job.
- He is a top hopeful for the gold medal.
- The TV show invited young hopefuls to sing.
- Five presidential hopefuls joined the debate.
Grammar
Dictionary form
hopeful
IPA
GB/hˈoʊpfəl/
US/hˈoʊpfəl/
Syllables & stress
hope - ful (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (hope)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: hopeful
- Plural: hopefuls
Word family
Forms
hopefuls
noun
Related words
hopefulness
noun
Negative and opposite forms
Expressions
a hopeful sign
2/ə hˈoʊpfəl sˈaɪn/
fixed phrase
sign that things may improve
Something that makes people think that the future result will be good.
Examples
- The drop in new cases is a hopeful sign for the region.
- Her steady progress is a hopeful sign that she will recover fully.
cautiously hopeful
3/kˈɔʃəsli hˈoʊpfəl/
fixed phrase
carefully positive about the future
Feeling that things may go well, but still being careful because there could be problems.
Examples
- Scientists are cautiously hopeful about the early test results.
- I’m cautiously hopeful that I’ll get the job, but I know nothing is certain yet.
presidential hopeful
4/pɹˌɛzɪdˈɛnʃəl hˈoʊpfəl/
fixed phrase
candidate likely to become president
A person who wants to be president and is seen as a real possible winner.
Examples
- Several presidential hopefuls visited the state fair to meet voters.
- The debate gave each presidential hopeful a chance to present their plan.
remain hopeful
1/ɹɪmˈeɪn hˈoʊpfəl/
fixed phrase
continue to feel hopeful
To keep feeling that something good will happen, even if the situation is difficult.
Examples
- Despite the delays, we remain hopeful that the project will succeed.
- Doctors remain hopeful that the treatment will work.