What is the antonym of “hopeful”?
The antonyms of hopeful are pessimistic, hopeless, and discouraging. These words convey a negative or doubtful outlook on the future, implying a lack of hope or optimism.
Brief Definitions of the Antonym(s)
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
pessimistic
Expecting the worst possible outcome; having a negative outlook on life.
Example
He was pessimistic about the company's future and thought they would go bankrupt soon.
hopeless
Feeling or causing despair or discouragement; having no prospect of success or improvement.
Example
After losing his job and his home, he felt hopeless and didn't know how to start over.
discouraging
Causing someone to lose confidence or enthusiasm; disheartening.
Example
The teacher's harsh criticism was discouraging for the students, who had worked hard on their project.
How are these antonyms different from each other?
- 1Pessimistic describes a person who expects the worst possible outcome and has a negative outlook on life.
- 2Hopeless describes a situation or feeling that causes despair or discouragement and has no prospect of success or improvement.
- 3Discouraging describes an action or event that causes someone to lose confidence or enthusiasm.
Good things to know
- 1Express Emotions: Use these antonyms to describe feelings of doubt, despair, or discouragement.
- 2Discuss Future Plans: Incorporate these antonyms in conversations about the future to express different outlooks.
- 3Analyze Situations: Utilize these antonyms to evaluate situations and assess the likelihood of success or failure.
Remember this!
The antonyms of hopeful convey negative or doubtful outlooks on the future. Pessimistic describes a negative outlook on life, hopeless describes a situation or feeling that causes despair, and discouraging describes an action or event that causes someone to lose confidence. Use these words to express emotions, discuss future plans, and analyze situations.
