hope
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hope¹
- /həʊp/ UK
- /hoʊp/ US
- /həʉp/ Australia
- /hɐʉp/ New Zealand
- /hop/ Scotland
- /hoːp/ Wales
Rhymes with -əʊp
Where it 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”).
verb hopes · hoping · hoped · 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]. They are hoping it does not rain, but I expect it will.
- To intend to do something and look forward to the prospect of having done it [with to (+ infinitive)]. I hope to succeed.
- 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.
- To place confidence; to trust with confident expectation of good [with in]. I hope in thy word.
- To wish. I hope you all the best.
hope²
- /həʊp/ UK
- /hoʊp/ US
- /həʉp/ Australia
- /hɐʉp/ New Zealand
- /hop/ Scotland
- /hoːp/ Wales
Rhymes with -əʊp
Where it comes from
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.
noun hopes
- 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.
- 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. But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
hope³
- /həʊp/ UK
- /hoʊp/ US
- /həʉp/ Australia
- /hɐʉp/ New Zealand
- /hop/ Scotland
- /hoːp/ Wales
Rhymes with -əʊp
Where it comes from
From Middle English hope (“a valley”), from Old English hōp (found only in placenames). More at hoop.
noun hopes
- A hollow; a valley, especially the upper end of a narrow mountain valley when it is nearly encircled by smooth, green slopes; a combe.
hope⁴
- /həʊp/ UK
- /hoʊp/ US
- /həʉp/ Australia
- /hɐʉp/ New Zealand
- /hop/ Scotland
- /hoːp/ Wales
Rhymes with -əʊp
Where it comes from
From Icelandic hóp (“a small bay or inlet”). Cognate with English hoop.
noun hopes
- A sloping plain between mountain ridges.
- A small bay; an inlet; a haven. Being by contrarie winds driuen to staie against Erith, at Grauesend, in Tilberie hope.
Hope⁵
- /ˈhoʊp/ US
- /ˈhəʊp/ UK
Sounds like hope · Rhymes with -oʊp, -əʊp
proper noun Hopes
- A female given name from English from the virtue, like Faith and Charity first used by Puritans. Hope Hicks, one of the President’s longest-serving aides, warned Parscale against touting ticket request numbers, reminding him that the number one rule in politics is not to overpromise and underdeliver, a source familiar with the matter said.
- An English and Scottish topographic surname from Middle English for someone who lived in a hope, a small enclosed valley.
- A male given name transferred from the surname.
- A town and district municipality in British Columbia.
- A community in the city of Vaughan, Regional Municipality of York, Ontario.
- A township municipality in Bonaventure Regional County Municipality, Quebec.
- A settlement near Richmond, Tasman district, New Zealand.
- A village and civil parish in High Peak borough, Derbyshire, England (OS grid ref SK1783).
- A hamlet in Worthen with Shelve parish, Shropshire, England (OS grid ref SJ3401).
- A hamlet in Alstonefield parish, Staffordshire Moorlands district, Staffordshire, England (OS grid ref SK1255).
- A village and community in Flintshire, Wales (OS grid ref SJ3058).
- A census-designated place in Kenai Peninsula Borough, Alaska.
- An unincorporated community in La Paz County, Arizona.
- A city, the county seat of Hempstead County, Arkansas.
- A minor city in Bonner County, Idaho.
- A township in LaSalle County, Illinois.
- An unincorporated community in Vermilion County, Illinois.
- A town in Haw Creek Township, Bartholomew County, Indiana.
- A township and minor city therein, in Dickinson County, Kansas.
- An unincorporated community in Montgomery County, Kentucky.
- A town in Knox County, Maine.
- A township in Barry County, Michigan.
- A township and unincorporated community therein, in Midland County, Michigan.
- A township in Lincoln County, Minnesota.
- An unincorporated community in Osage County, Missouri.
- A township and census-designated place therein, in Warren County, New Jersey.
- A village in Eddy County, New Mexico.
- A town in Hamilton County, New York.
- A minor city in Steele County, North Dakota.
- An unincorporated community in Brown Township, Vinton County, Ohio.
- A neighbourhood of Providence, Rhode Island.
- An unincorporated community in the town of Cottage Grove and city of Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin.
- A settlement on Saint Croix, United States Virgin Islands.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: desire, trust, promise, go for, intend, wish, wishing, hopefully, hopeful, optimism, want, confidence, wanted, luck, aspiration, desirous
Translations
Every language
verb to want something to happen, with expectation that it might
| Español | esperar, esperanzarse, ojalá, amalaya, quienquita, aguardar |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 바라다 barada, 희망하다 huimanghada, 원하다 wonhada |
| 日本語 | 希望する kibō suru, 望む nozomu |
| 中文 | 希望 xīwàng, 盼望 pànwàng, 指望 zhǐwàng, 冀望 jìwàng |
| हिन्दी | आशा āśā, आशा करना āśā karnā, उम्मीद करना ummīd karnā |
| Kiswahili | tumaini |
| Português | esperar |
| Français | espérer |
| Deutsch | hoffen |
| Italiano | sperare |
| Ελληνικά | ελπίζω elpízo |
| Română | spera, nădăjdui |
| Русский | наде́яться nadéjatʹsja, упова́ть upovátʹ |
| Tiếng Việt | hy vọng, mong |
| العربية | أَمَلَ ʔamala, رَجَا rajā, تَأَمَّلَ taʔammala |
| עברית | קיווה \ קִוָּה kivá |
noun belief that something wished for can happen
| Español | esperanza |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 바람 baram, 희망 huimang, 기대 gidae |
| 日本語 | 希望 kibō, 期待 kitai |
| 中文 | 希望 xīwàng, 指望 zhǐwàng, 盼望 pànwàng |
| हिन्दी | आशा āśā, उम्मीद ummīd |
| Kiswahili | matumaini |
| Português | esperança |
| Français | espoir, espérance |
| Deutsch | Hoffnung |
| Italiano | speranza |
| Ελληνικά | ελπίδα elpída |
| Română | speranță, nădejde |
| Русский | наде́жда nadéžda, надёжа nadjóža |
| Tiếng Việt | hy vọng |
| العربية | أَمَل ʔamal, رَجَاء rajāʔ |
| עברית | תִּקְוָה tikvá, יְהָב yeháv |
noun person or thing that is a source of hope
| Español | esperanza |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 바램 baraem, 희망 huimang |
| 日本語 | 希望 kibō, 願望 ganbō |
| 中文 | 願望 /愿望 yuànwàng |
| हिन्दी | आशा āśā |
| Kiswahili | matumaini |
| Português | esperança |
| Français | espoir |
| Deutsch | Hoffnung |
| Italiano | speranza |
| Ελληνικά | ελπίδα elpída |
| Română | speranță, nădejde |
| Русский | наде́жда nadéžda |
| Tiếng Việt | nguồn hy vọng |
| العربية | أَمَل ʔamal, رَجَاء rajāʔ |
| עברית | תקווה tikvá |
Talk about this word "hope." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/hope. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. hope. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/hope "hope." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/hope.Cite this
@misc{hope_2026,
title = {hope},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/hope},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
