hope against hope

1. Hope or wish for with little reason or justification, as in I'm hoping against hope that someone will return my wallet. This expression, based on the biblical “Who against hope believed in hope” (Romans 4:18), was first recorded in 1813.

Example Sentences

I also think we will see an increase in his cognitive decline, which I hope against hope is covered in the mainstream media.

From Salon

I was there to hope against hope that Laube wouldn’t get a break yet again.

From Los Angeles Times

Cross your fingers that James can suffer through his bad ankle, and that Davis continues to recover from a sore shoulder injured against Milwaukee, and that Russell keeps shooting and Reaves keeps wowing and…well, cross everything and hope against hope and know that nobody will know anything until this ride finally ends.

From Los Angeles Times

And on election night, as his prophecies came true one after another, he got upgraded from “I don’t know this guy but I hope against hope that he’s right” to Nostradamus.

From Slate

Besides, it’s hardly an efficient strategy for the anti-abortion movement: To build a “wall” limiting travel, abortion opponents need to pass ordinance after ordinance—and hope against hope that someone will enforce them.

From Slate