white hope

noun

1. a person who is expected to accomplish much in a given field:

   the white hope of the American theater.

2. Sports. (formerly) a white man who had a good chance of winning the heavyweight boxing championship from a Black man.

white hope

noun

1. informal.
   a person who is expected to bring honour or glory to his group, team, etc

Word History and Origins

Origin of white hope¹

First recorded in 1905–10

Example Sentences

Because he is perceived as the next white hope of the NBA, even though the odds of that are mixed at best.

From The Daily Beast

He had always been The Great White Hope in a very small pond.

From The Daily Beast

The "white hope" was grinning and confident, and so he returned to the center of the ring for the second round.

From Project Gutenberg

The following morning the sporting sheets hailed "Sailor" Byrne as the greatest "white hope" of them all.

From Project Gutenberg

First among them came a bugler, the officers, then next a trooper, leading the white hope—the precious Red Rover.

From Project Gutenberg

The reverend gentleman was the white hope of the anti-suffragists.

From Project Gutenberg

He was polite and very gentle, but Sagorski, the White Hope, knew what he was when aroused.

From Project Gutenberg