hopefully

adverb

hope·​ful·​ly ˈhōp-fə-lē How to pronounce hopefully (audio)
1
: in a way that expresses desire with an expectation of fulfillment : in a hopeful manner
gazed up at us hopefully
2
: it is hoped : I hope : we hope
hopefully the rain will end soon
Can hopefully mean 'I hope'?: Usage Guide

In the 1960s the second sense of hopefully ("it is hoped"), which dates to the early 18th century and had been in fairly widespread use since at least the 1930s, underwent a surge in popularity. A surge of criticism followed in reaction, but the criticism took no account of the grammar of adverbs. Hopefully when used to mean "it is hoped" is a member of a class of adverbs known as disjuncts. Disjuncts serve as a means by which the author or speaker can comment directly to the reader or hearer usually on the content of the sentence to which they are attached. Many other adverbs (such as interestingly, frankly, clearly, luckily, unfortunately) are similarly used; most are so ordinary as to excite no comment or interest whatsoever. The "it is hoped" sense of hopefully is entirely standard.

Examples of hopefully in a Sentence

They gazed up at us hopefully. Hopefully, things will get better soon.
Recent Examples on the Web The survey, which will be accessible via the city’s web site, hopefully will launch within the next week, Ben Verdugo, a senior associate with Dixon Resources, said Monday. Barbara Henry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Mar. 2024 Danielle Brooks Has 'Full-Circle' Moment on Oscars 2024 Carpet Running Into Former Costars Laverne Cox and Cynthia Erivo And one day — hopefully sooner rather than later — the pair hopes to take their friendship to the screen. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 14 Mar. 2024 The space also has an outdoor patio where hobbyists and experienced photographers like can meet and talk about art and culture—and hopefully be inspired as a result. Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 14 Mar. 2024 Unfiltered, uncompromising, and (hopefully) valuable insight and analysis from the intersection of Wall Street and biotech. Adam Feuerstein Reprints, STAT, 14 Mar. 2024 Failure could happen at any point, but hopefully not. George Dvorsky / Gizmodo, Quartz, 12 Mar. 2024 The goal is to collect regular data data on coral health to monitor the state of the reefs, investigate how they’re being effected by climate change, and hopefully get early warning of emerging problems. IEEE Spectrum, 11 Mar. 2024 RuPaul’s Drag Race’s third design challenge closed the door to me and opened a window, hopefully, to performing on Broadway and having a career with longevity. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 4 Mar. 2024 There are sticky notes all over the place but hopefully there will be no arguing afterward. Amy Dickinson, Detroit Free Press, 3 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hopefully.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of hopefully was in 1593

Dictionary Entries Near hopefully

Cite this Entry

“Hopefully.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hopefully. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

hopefully

adverb
hope·​ful·​ly ˈhōp-fə-lē How to pronounce hopefully (audio)
1
: in a hopeful manner
a dog looking hopefully for a tidbit
2
: I hope : we hope
hopefully it won't rain tomorrow
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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