Synonyms/Hypernyms (Ordered by Estimated Frequency) of noun hopeful

1 sense of hopeful

Sense 1
aspirant, aspirer, hopeful, wannabe, wannabee -- (an ambitious and aspiring young person; "a lofty aspirant"; "two executive hopefuls joined the firm"; "the audience was full of Madonna wannabes")
       => applicant, applier -- (a person who requests or seeks something such as assistance or employment or admission)

Antonyms of adj hopeful

2 senses of hopeful

Sense 1
hopeful (vs. hopeless) -- (having or manifesting hope; "a line of people hopeful of obtaining tickets"; "found a hopeful way of attacking the problem")

hopeless (vs. hopeful) -- (without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success; "in an agony of hopeless grief"; "with a hopeless sigh he sat down")
        => abject, unhopeful -- (showing utter resignation or hopelessness; "abject surrender")
        => black, bleak, dim -- (offering little or no hope; "the future looked black"; "prospects were bleak"; "Life in the Aran Islands has always been bleak and difficult"- J.M.Synge; "took a dim view of things")
        => despairing, desperate -- (arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope; "a despairing view of the world situation"; "the last despairing plea of the condemned criminal"; "a desperate cry for help"; "helpless and desperate--as if at the end of his tether"; "her desperate screams")
        => despondent, heartsick -- (without or almost without hope; "despondent about his failure"; "too heartsick to fight back")
        => forlorn -- (marked by or showing hopelessness; "the last forlorn attempt"; "a forlorn cause")
        => futureless -- (having no prospect or hope of a future)
        => helpless, lost -- (unable to function; without help)
        => insoluble -- (without hope of solution; "an insoluble problem")

Sense 2
bright, hopeful, promising -- (full or promise; "had a bright future in publishing"; "the scandal threatened an abrupt end to a promising political career"; "a hopeful new singer on Broadway")

INDIRECT (VIA auspicious) -> inauspicious, unfortunate -- (not auspicious; boding ill)

Similarity of adj hopeful

2 senses of hopeful

Sense 1
hopeful (vs. hopeless) -- (having or manifesting hope; "a line of people hopeful of obtaining tickets"; "found a hopeful way of attacking the problem")
       => anticipant, anticipative, expectant -- (marked by eager anticipation; "an expectant hush")
          Also See-> encouraging#1; optimistic#1

Sense 2
bright, hopeful, promising -- (full or promise; "had a bright future in publishing"; "the scandal threatened an abrupt end to a promising political career"; "a hopeful new singer on Broadway")
       => auspicious (vs. inauspicious) -- (auguring favorable circumstances and good luck; "an auspicious beginning for the campaign")