Hopefully: Definition, Examples, and Usage Guide

Meaning 1：with hope (hopefully)

hopefully 🔊

/ˈhoʊpfəli/

adv.

Used to show that you want something to happen or that you think it is likely.

with hope 🔊

➕

/wɪð hoʊp/

adv.

Used to express that the speaker hopes something will happen or believes it is likely.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Intermediate

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

hope (desire) + -ful (full of) + -ly (adverb suffix).

💡 Mnemonic

Think 'hope' + 'fully' = full of hope, expecting the best.

📖 Example

Hopefully, I did well on the test and can relax this weekend. 🔊 I hope that I did well on the test and can relax this weekend.

🔗 Collocations

hopefully soon – it is hoped that something will happen soon

hopefully not – it is hoped that something will not happen

hopefully will – it is hoped that someone or something will do something

🔄 Synonyms

optimistically (adv.) – in a way that shows hope for the best outcome

with luck (adv.) – if things go as desired

it is hoped (phrase) – used to express a wish that something will happen

🚫 Antonyms

hopelessly (adv.) – in a way that shows no hope

despairingly (adv.) – in a way that shows loss of hope

🌱 Derivatives

hopeful (adj.) – feeling or inspiring hope

hopefulness (n.) – the quality of being hopeful

📖 Cultural Story

From 'hope' + '-ful' + '-ly'. First recorded in the 16th century meaning 'in a hopeful manner'. By the 20th century, it gained a sentence-adverb use meaning 'it is hoped', though some stylists still object.