white hope
Americannoun
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a person who is expected to accomplish much in a given field.
the white hope of the American theater.
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Sports. (formerly) a white man who had a good chance of winning the heavyweight boxing championship from a Black man.
noun
Etymology
Origin of white hope
First recorded in 1905–10
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.
“He became the banner, the poster child for the great white hope of evangelicalism, the salvation of the church in America,” she said.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 10, 2021
Donald Trump may be the great white hope of the Republican party, but his dislike of sharks is well known.
From The Guardian • Sep. 29, 2019
Great white hope: the new and intimidating Chrysler 300C is actually softer looking than the outgoing model.
From The Guardian • Dec. 9, 2012
It has taken two decades to bear out T. S. Eliot's belief, formed in 1938, that young Durrell was a white hope of English prose.
From Time Magazine Archive
Ye’ve all heared of Mr. Irwin’s ability as a white hope, and I know he’ll be listened to wid respect!”
From The Brown Mouse by Quick, Herbert
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.
