hope.
To want (something) to happen, with a sense of expectation that it might [with that (+ clause); or (informal) with clause; or with so or (negative) not].
Meaning & usage
To want (something) to happen, with a sense of expectation that it might [with that (+ clause); or (informal) with clause; or with so or (negative) not].
They are hoping it does not rain, but I expect it will.
He's still hoping that everything will turn out fine.
To intend to do something and look forward to the prospect of having done it [with to (+ infinitive)].
I hope to succeed.
I hope to be going back again soon.
To expect optimistically that one might get something (either a change in circumstance or an object) [with for].
They're hoping for the best, but I don't think it's looking very good.
I'm hoping for my boss to offer me a pay raise.
To place confidence; to trust with confident expectation of good [with in].
To wish.
I hope you all the best.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English hopen, from Old English hopian (“hope”), from Proto-West Germanic *hopōn; further etymology unclear. Cognates Cognate with Saterland Frisian, West Frisian hoopje (“to hope”), Cimbrian hòffan (“to hope”), Dutch hopen (“to hope”), German, Luxembourgish hoffen (“to hope”), Vilamovian höfnan (“hope”), Yiddish האָפֿן (hofn, “to hope”), Danish håbe (“to hope”), Norwegian Bokmål håpe (“to hope”), Norwegian Nynorsk håpa, håpe (“to hope”), Swedish hoppas (“to hope”).
The feeling of trust, confidence, belief or expectation that something wished for can or will happen.
All hopes for a truce are gone after the latest attack.
After losing my job, there's frail hope of affording my world cruise.
The actual thing wished for.
A person or thing that is a source of hope.
We still have one hope left: my roommate might see the note I left on the table.
The virtuous desire for future good.
Where this word comes from
Etymology tree Proto-West Germanic *tōhopōnder. Old English tōhopa Old English hopa Middle English hope English hope From Middle English hope, from Old English hopa (“hope, expectation”), from the same source as the verb hope. Eclipsed non-native early modern English esperance, borrowed from Middle French esperance.
A hollow; a valley, especially the upper end of a narrow mountain valley when it is nearly encircled by smooth, green slopes; a combe.
Where this word comes from
From Middle English hope (“a valley”), from Old English hōp (found only in placenames). More at hoop.
A sloping plain between mountain ridges.
A small bay; an inlet; a haven.
Where this word comes from
From Icelandic hóp (“a small bay or inlet”). Cognate with English hoop.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.