hopefully

hope·ful·ly

H0274100 (hōp′fə-lē)adv.1. In a hopeful manner: We began our journey hopefully.2. Usage Problem It is to be hoped.Usage Note: "Hopefully, the senator will vote for the bill." Is this sentence saying that one hopes the senator will vote a certain way? Or is it declaring that when the senator votes, it will be done in a hopeful manner? In the first case, the word modifies the entire sentence (functioning as what is known as a sentence adverb) and means "It is to be hoped." In the second case, it modifies the verb phrase "will vote" and means "in a hopeful manner." Since the 1960s, when hopefully became something of a vogue word, its use as a sentence adverb has been roundly criticized on the grounds that it can be ambiguous (which meaning is intended?) and that the bearer of hope is not explicitly indicated (who is hopeful)? It is unclear, however, why hopefully was singled out for criticism. Many other adverbs, such as mercifully and frankly, are regularly used as sentence adverbs: Mercifully, the play was brief. Frankly, the food at that restaurant is terrible. The widespread use of hopefully in similar constructions reflects popular recognition of its usefulness; there is no precise substitute. Someone who says Hopefully, the treaty will be ratified makes a hopeful prediction about the fate of the treaty, whereas someone who says I hope (or We hope or It is hoped that) the treaty will be ratified expresses a bald statement about what is desired. Only the latter could be continued with a clause such as but it isn't likely. · People often warm to a usage once its novelty fades and it becomes well established. Resistance to this usage has waned over the years, but the gradual path to acceptance has taken much longer than other style choices that were bugbears in the 1960s, such as using impact or contact as verbs. In 1999, 34 percent of the Usage Panel accepted the sentence Hopefully, the treaty will be ratified. In 2012, 63 percent accepted this same sentence. But a significantly larger percentage—89 percent—accepted a comparable use of mercifully in 2012, indicating that it is not the use of hopefully as a sentence adverb per se that bothers the Panel. Rather, hopefully appears to be serving as a shibboleth to reveal whether a speaker is aware of the traditional canons of usage.

hopefully

(ˈhəʊpfʊlɪ) adv1. in a hopeful manner2. informal it is hoped: hopefully they will be here soon. Usage: The use of hopefully to mean it is hoped used to be considered incorrect by some people but has now become acceptable in informal contexts

hope•ful•ly

(ˈhoʊp fə li)

adv. 1. in a hopeful manner. 2. it is hoped; if all goes well: Hopefully, we will win. [1630–40] usage: Although some strongly object to it as a sentence modifier, hopefully meaning “it is hoped (that)” has been in use since the 1930s and is standard in all varieties of speech and writing. This use of hopefully parallels that of certainly, curiously, frankly, regrettably, and other sentence modifiers.

hopefully

1. used after a verb

If you do something hopefully, you do it hoping that a particular thing will happen.

She continued to gaze hopefully in their direction.For the first time in a long time, she smiles hopefully.

This use of hopefully occurs mainly in books, rather than in conversation.

2. used as a sentence adverb

Hopefully is much more commonly a sentence adverb. You add hopefully to a statement to indicate that you hope that what you are saying is true or will be true.

Hopefully, future fossil-hunters will unearth some evidence to resolve this question.They've learnt a few lessons which, hopefully, will put them back on track.

This use of hopefully is fairly new in British English, and some people object to it. However, it is now very common in conversation and writing. No other English adverb can be used with the same meaning.

Thesaurus

Adv.	1.	hopefully - with hope; in a hopeful manner; "we searched hopefully for a good position"hopelessly - without hope; desperate because there seems no possibility of comfort or success; "he hung his head hopelessly"; "`I must die,' he said hopelessly"
	2.	hopefully - it is hoped; "hopefully the weather will be fine on Sunday"

hopefully

adverb1. optimistically, confidently, expectantly, with anticipation, sanguinely 'Am I welcome?' He smiled hopefully.2. (Informal) it is hoped, probably, all being well, God willing, conceivably, feasibly, expectedly Hopefully, you won't have any problems after reading this.

Translations

但愿抱有希望地

hope

(həup) verb to want something to happen and have some reason to believe that it will or might happen. He's very late, but we are still hoping he will come; I hope to be in London next month; We're hoping for some help from other people; It's unlikely that he'll come now, but we keep on hoping; `Do you think it will rain?' `I hope so/not'.希望 noun1. (any reason or encouragement for) the state of feeling that what one wants will or might happen. He has lost all hope of becoming the president; He came to see me in the hope that I would help him; He has hopes of winning a scholarship; The rescuers said there was no hope of finding anyone alive in the mine.希望2. a person, thing etc that one is relying on for help etc. He's my last hope – there is no-one else I can ask.被寄托希望的人或物3. something hoped for. My hope is that he will get married and settle down soon.盼望ˈhopeful adjective1. (negative unhopeful) full of hope. The police are hopeful that they will soon find the killer; hopeful faces; He is hopeful of success.怀有希望的2. giving a reason or encouragement for hope. That's a hopeful sign – perhaps he is going to change his mind after all.有希望的3. likely to be pleasant, successful etc. The future looks quite hopeful.乐观的ˈhopefulness noun有希望ˈhopefully adverb1. in a hopeful way. The dog looked hopefully at the joint of meat.抱有希望地2. it is to be hoped that. Hopefully, that will never happen.但愿ˈhopeless adjective1. not likely to be successful. It's hopeless to try to persuade him; a hopeless attempt; The future looks hopeless. 无希望的，绝望的 2. (with at) not good. I'm a hopeless housewife; He's hopeless at French.不好的3. unable to be stopped, cured etc. The doctors considered the patient's case hopeless; He's a hopeless liar/idiot.无可救药的ˈhopelessly adverb无希望地ˈhopelessness noun 绝望，无希望 hope against hope to continue hoping when there is no (longer any) reason for hope. 抱一线希望hope for the best to hope that something will succeed, that nothing bad will happen etc. 抱乐观的希望（往最好处想） not (have) a hope (to be) completely unlikely (to succeed in something). He hasn't a hope of getting the job; `Will he get the job?' `Not a hope!'没希望raise someone's hopes to cause someone to hope, usually when there is no good reason to. 唤起某人的希望

hopefully

→ 但愿zhCN

hopefully

hope·ful·ly

hopefully

hope•ful•ly

hopefully

hopefully

hope

hopefully

hopefully

Synonyms for hopefully

adv optimistically

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adv it is hoped

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Antonyms for hopefully

adv with hope

Antonyms