hopefully
Americanadverb
-
in a hopeful manner.
We worked hopefully and energetically, thinking we might finish first.
-
it is hoped; if all goes well.
Hopefully, we will get to the show on time.
adverb
-
in a hopeful manner
-
informal it is hoped
hopefully they will be here soon
Usage
Although some strongly object to its use as a sentence modifier, hopefully meaning “it is hoped (that)” has been in use since the 1930s and is fully standard in all varieties of speech and writing: Hopefully, tensions between the two nations will ease. This use of hopefully is parallel to that of certainly, curiously, frankly, regrettably, and other sentence modifiers.
The use of hopefully to mean it is hoped used to be considered incorrect by some people but has now become acceptable in informal contexts
Etymology
Origin of hopefully
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The reason, hopefully, that “Elsinore” is moving is that we approach some of the stuff with quite a bit of lightness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 5, 2026
“And it’s good that we’re gonna have jobs locally; hopefully that happens. But it’s still about not being transparent with the people.”
From Salon ● Sep. 4, 2026
"I think the current 'dinosaur rush' in Thailand is hopefully just the beginning," he told AFP.
From Barron's ● Sep. 3, 2026
"It brings me joy, and hopefully when someone else is just kind of doom-scrolling, they get a bit of serenity in their day as well," she said.
From BBC ● Aug. 30, 2026
The bunny looked up and twitched her nose hopefully.
From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia
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.
