Find Antonyms

hopeful Antonyms

Opposite of hopeful

Because the opposite of hopeful shifts with each meaning, the 15 antonyms and opposite words below are separated across 2 exact definitions and ranked by contrast strength.
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• adjective (Context 1)

Feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event or outcome.

Usage Example

"The doctors remain hopeless that the patient will make a full recovery within a few weeks."

Strongest
hopeless
pessimistic
despondent
despairing
Strong
discouraged
dejected
gloomy
cynical

• adjective (Context 2)

Giving ground for hope; promising or auspicious.

Usage Example

"Recent economic data shows several unpromising signs of growth in the manufacturing sector."

Strongest
unpromising
bleak
inauspicious
Strong
discouraging
dismal
unfavorable
grim

Similar words to hopeful

Words similar to hopeful shift depending on context. Common synonyms include:

optimistic
promising
encouraging
aspirant
contender
candidate
confident
favorable
See all synonyms of hopeful

• Nearby Words

hoot
hop
hope
hopeful
hopefully
hopefulness
hopeless

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Antonyms for Hopeful. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/antonyms/hopeful
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