HOPEFUL Synonyms: 126 Similar and Opposite Words

hopeful 1 of 2

adjective

ˈhōp-fəl

Definition of hopeful

as in promising

having qualities which inspire hope economists are offering a hopeful forecast for a healthy economy in the coming year

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in encouraging

pointing toward a happy outcome in a hopeful response to the ad, several people called to say they'd seen our lost cat

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

hopeful

2 of 2

noun

as in candidate

one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award the three mayoral hopefuls are going to debate on local TV

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 hopeful

Adjective

Though Stage 4 lung cancer carries a five-year survival rate of just 13 percent, Lin is hopeful. — Meeri Kim, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026 Experts are hopeful that these drugs can fill a significant unmet medical need, as the FDA has not approved a new medication for alcohol use disorder in two decades. — Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 22 Oct. 2026

Noun

But a crop of Senate candidates in more conservative-leaning states like Iowa, Texas, Kansas and Ohio, and Democratic hopefuls in newly competitive House districts, have surged in polls and fundraising. — Stephen Fowler, NPR, 20 Oct. 2026 Folger is one of thousands of hopefuls aiming to beat the odds as Hollywood implodes. — Meredith Maran, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hopeful

Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopeful

Adjective

Roche unveiled strong data from divarasib in non-small cell lung cancer, and Incyte showed promising results from INCB161734 in pancreatic cancer.

— Amanda Erickson, STAT, 27 Oct. 2026
One Mithril program reached promising results in mice within 18 months.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of promising

Adjective

Other big tech stocks likewise fell following quarterly reports that included at least some encouraging nuggets.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Besides SpaceX’s profit report showing strength for AI spending, another encouraging signal for the industry came from Super Micro Computer, which sells AI servers and services.

— Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of encouraging

Noun

Their loss has become the Chiefs’ gain, as Walker, for now, looks like a possible MVP candidate in Kansas City.

— Scott Chasen, Kansas City Star, 26 Oct. 2026
Sanders, who spoke alongside el Sayed in Grand Rapids, said Trump’s attacks on the Democratic candidate were rooted in Islamophobia because Republicans have little to say about the issues affecting working families.

— Barnini Chakraborty, The Washington Examiner, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of candidate

Adjective

The district was widely viewed as more favorable to Republicans following redistricting, but Singer expressed confidence that his support extends beyond GOP voters.

— Abby Dodge, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
Having an audience will yield a favorable or adverse outcome, and that outcome hinges largely on one’s ability to impress, or at least satisfy, those who sit in judgment.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of favorable

Noun

Beyond that, this hilarious, heartfelt two-hander is a strong best-picture contender, and Malkovich, who took the Venice Film Festival’s Volpi Cup for best actor, is also a frontrunner for his charming, slippery turn.

— Radhika Seth, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
Home Harvest is the latest contender in this indoor smart garden space, with two appliances designed to turn microgreens, herbs, and salads into something halfway between a countertop convenience and a gardening project.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of contender

Adjective

An exuberant pre-dawn sky — filled with large, bright stars, a luminous crescent moon, and blue and white swirls — dominates the landscape featuring a prominent cypress tree and distant hillside village.

— Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026
But the only picture mode that comes close to being that bright also has a notably green bias and ramps up the fan noise to a level that almost anyone will consider intolerable.

— M. David Stone, PC Magazine, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of bright

Adjective

Logan Beall, a spokesperson for Beall Development, issued a statement Tuesday saying the company was happy about the lawsuit’s resolution.

— Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Oct. 2026
The challenge for the Don is to keep their family happy and for the other players to accumulate enough goodwill to keep receiving a portion of the prize.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of happy

Browse Nearby Words

hope (for)

hopeful

hopefully

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Style

“Hopeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hopeful. Accessed 30 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of hopeful

adjective

noun

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