the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.
to give up hope.
a particular instance of this feeling.
the hope of winning.
grounds for this feeling in a particular instance.
There is little or no hope of his recovery.
a person or thing in which expectations are centered.
The medicine was her last hope.
something that is hoped for.
Her forgiveness is my constant hope.
to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence.
to believe, desire, or trust.
I hope that my work will be satisfactory.
to feel that something desired may happen.
We hope for an early spring.
Archaic. to place trust; rely (usually followed byin ).
Anthony, pen name of Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins.
Bob Leslie Townes Hope, 1903–2003, U.S. comedian, born in England.
John, 1868–1936, U.S. educator.
a town in SW Arkansas.
a female given name.
(sometimes plural) a feeling of desire for something and confidence in the possibility of its fulfilment
his hope for peace was justified
their hopes were dashed
a reasonable ground for this feeling
there is still hope
a person or thing that gives cause for hope
a thing, situation, or event that is desired
my hope is that prices will fall
used ironically to express little confidence that expectations will be fulfilled
(tr; takes a clause as object or an infinitive) to desire (something) with some possibility of fulfilment
we hope you can come
I hope to tell you
to have a wish (for a future event, situation, etc)
(tr; takes a clause as object) to trust, expect, or believe
we hope that this is satisfactory
Anthony, real name Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins. 1863–1933, English novelist; author of The Prisoner of Zenda (1894)
Bob, real name Leslie Townes Hope. 1903–2003, US comedian and comic actor, born in England. His films include The Cat and the Canary (1939), Road to Morocco (1942), and The Paleface (1947). He was awarded an honorary knighthood in 1998
David ( Michael ). Baron. born 1940, British churchman, Archbishop of York (1995–2005)
What are other ways to say hope?
To hope for something is to look forward to it with desire and reasonable confidence. When should you use this verb over anticipate, expect, or await? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
First recorded before 900; (noun) Middle English; Old English hopa; cognate with Dutch hoop, German Hoffe; (verb) Middle English hopen, Old English hopian
Hope is something that you want to happen, like your hope to visit Paris this summer, or the feeling that good things will come. If you make it to the final round of a tournament, that gives you hope. Hope can also be a verb that means "strive for or wish," as in your hope to become a doctor someday. To hope is to want something to happen, but if instead you said that you intend to become a doctor, that suggests becoming a doctor is more of a goal than a dream. Hope, on the other hand, is more emotional. In fact, some scholars believe it's linked in meaning to hop, in that someone who hopes "leaps in expectation."
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"We hope people bear them in mind because it's the absolute least they deserve."
From BBC • May 22, 2026
"We hope this will be the last war, because our villages in the south... are currently on life support," she said.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
“Every day is a nail-biter. But what gives me hope is seeing how all the right partners in the Bay Area community have come together to do something. This new system will save whales’ lives.
From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026
“We have all seen this movie before, but we hope that this time will be different,” says AgResource.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 21, 2026
I hope Zara can join me today, especially since the meet’s just two weeks away.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
