1
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
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
as in candidate
one who seeks an office, honor, position, or award
the three mayoral hopefuls are going to debate on local TV
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hopeful
Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
At a time where some voters are less trusting of government regulators and the media, people are looking for a hopeful future to latch onto.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025
Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2025
Nottingham Forest are on track to return to the Champions League for the first time since 1980; Atlético Madrid top La Liga; Napoli have rebounded in Italy; most importantly, Hartlepool United remain National League playoff hopefuls with two games in hand.
—Matt Gardner, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hopeful 
Adjective
While his supporters are hopeful, particularly regarding job creation, skepticism about his ability to address inflation, health care and housing costs remains high.
—Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
At a time where some voters are less trusting of government regulators and the media, people are looking for a hopeful future to latch onto.
—Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
In each city election cycle, lobbyists and contractors pump hundreds of thousands of dollars into the campaign coffers of various political hopefuls.
—Chris Sommerfeldt, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2025
Nottingham Forest are on track to return to the Champions League for the first time since 1980; Atlético Madrid top La Liga; Napoli have rebounded in Italy; most importantly, Hartlepool United remain National League playoff hopefuls with two games in hand.
—Matt Gardner, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hopeful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopeful
Adjective
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Decentralized data collection offers another promising alternative.—
Max (Chong) Li,
Forbes,
20 Jan. 2025
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Chop Robinson came on to seem like a promising pick moving forward.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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For Max, the Nielsen shoutout is an encouraging sign.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
27 Jan. 2025
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The encouraging constant is that Jackson gets himself into goalscoring positions at an outstanding rate: his non-penalty xG per 90 minutes in 2024-25 is 0.61, ranking him fifth among all Premier League players and not far behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (0.64), according to FBref.—
Liam Twomey,
The Athletic,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The Jets interviewed 15 candidates for their general manager role and 16 for their coaching position.—
Antwan Staley,
New York Daily News,
25 Jan. 2025
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After missing out on Morgan, USC set out on a months-long search that yielded several candidates from the NFL front office ranks, according to a person familiar with those discussions.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Many listings are in the range of hundreds to thousands of dollars, although some optimistic sellers are asking for a million or more.—
Maria Sole Campinoti,
CNN,
23 Jan. 2025
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The coal industry is optimistic about the sector’s prospects under Trump, despite the drop in production during the first Trump administration, according to a recent report by S&P Global.—
David Gelles,
New York Times,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Picture a future where devices not only interpret your words but also recognize emotional cues, adapt to your preferences, anticipate needs and support you in creating favorable outcomes at home or work.—
Thorsten Zander,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
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Elon Musk doesn’t miss an opportunity to take a dig at OpenAI — even when the news item in question is supposed to be favorable to President Trump.—
Chris Welch,
The Verge,
22 Jan. 2025
Noun
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What To Know In November, Trump announced that Ramaswamy, a 2024 GOP presidential contender, and billionaire Musk, one of the president-elect's most prominent supporters, would jointly lead the new department, which aims to increase government efficiency and reduce spending.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
20 Jan. 2025
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Remember before the season, when some dummy in this space made some assertion that the Bucks and Suns should be considered title contenders?—
Zach Harper,
The Athletic,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Maybe if the Bruins prioritized their drafting and development over the years, the future would be brighter.—
Shayna Goldman,
The Athletic,
21 Jan. 2025
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Two tables near the center of the ballroom, where all the women seated were wearing bright red, stood out.—
Jeff A. Chamer,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Let familiar songs—happy or haunting—unlock those frozen feelings.—
Barbara A. Perry,
Newsweek,
28 Jan. 2025
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The 18-year-old daughter of Larry Birkhead and Anna Nicole Smith was a happy gal after getting to meet Hugh Jackman following his concert series From New York, with Love at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
28 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near hopeful
Cite this Entry
“Hopeful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hopeful. Accessed 1 Feb. 2025.
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