# hope

> English word · Verb · IPA /həʊp/ · frequency rank #346

## Definitions
1. 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].
2. To intend to do something and look forward to the prospect of having done it [with to (+ infinitive)].
3. To expect optimistically that one might get something (either a change in circumstance or an object) [with for].
4. To place confidence; to trust with confident expectation of good [with in].
5. To wish.

## Etymology
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”).

## Easily confused with
- **HP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hp)
- **how** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-how)
- **hot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hot)
- **hue** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hue)
- **hye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hye)
- **HPV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hpv)
- **Hou** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hou)
- **hoy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hoy)
- **hos** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hos)
- **hse** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hse)
- **HPA** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hpa)
- **hor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hor)
- **HOV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hov)
- **hour** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hour)
- **huge** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-huge)
- **host** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-host)
- **horn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-horn)
- **hype** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hype)
- **hose** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hose)
- **Hyde** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/hope-vs-hyde)

## Common misspellings (5)
`hhope`, `hoep`, `hoppe`, `hpoe`, `ohpe`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/hope