# hopeful

/ˈhoʊpfəɫ/ (US) · /hˈəʊpfəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/hopeful
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. feeling hope

adjective · CEFR B1

feeling or showing that you want something to happen and think it is possible.

For teachers: experiencing or expressing optimism regarding a future outcome.

- The students are hopeful that the exam results will be released early.
- Despite the initial setbacks, the research team remained hopeful that their hypothesis would eventually be validated by the clinical trials.

Usage: often followed by 'that' or 'about'.

### 2. giving hope

adjective · CEFR B2

giving you a reason to believe that something good will happen.

For teachers: providing grounds for optimism or promising a positive result.

- The doctor gave us some hopeful news about my grandfather's recovery.
- The recent economic data provided a hopeful sign that the recession might be shorter than analysts had originally predicted.

### 3. a candidate

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

a person who is trying to get a job, win a prize, or be elected.

For teachers: an individual who aspires to a particular position, such as a political office or a role in a competition.

- Thousands of young hopefuls arrived at the stadium for the singing competition.
- The presidential hopefuls gathered for the first televised debate to outline their respective visions for the country's infrastructure.

Usage: often preceded by a descriptive noun like 'presidential' or 'Olympic'.

Teaching tip: This is a nominalised adjective; it is most common in journalism and political reporting.

## Examples

- The young hopeful waits for his turn to audition.
- Dozens of Olympic hopefuls gathered at the stadium to compete for a spot on the national team.
- The primary election narrowed the field of presidential hopefuls down to two main candidates, each representing a vastly different vision for the country's economic future.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.