hopefully

/ˈhəʊpfəli/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈhəʊpfəli/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈhōp-fə-lē/ (ame, mw)

hopefully — adverb

1. used to say that you want something good to come true, or that you feel positive

1.副詞A2
釋義

used to say that you want something good to come true, or that you feel positive about how a situation will turn out.

例句

Hopefully, the rain will stop before Aylin's outdoor wedding begins.

sentence-adverb pattern: Hopefully, + clause

The ferry will hopefully reach the island before the evening fog rolls in.

mid-clause pattern: will hopefully + verb

同義詞
反義詞
  • unfortunately

    conveys the opposite feeling of regret about a situation

文法句型

Hopefully, + clause

clause + hopefully + clause

用法筆記

This use of 'hopefully' as a sentence adverb is sometimes called controversial: a small number of older style guides prefer only the manner meaning (Sense 2). However, the sentence-adverb use has been standard in everyday English for decades and is accepted in all but the most formal writing.

常見錯誤

❌I am hopefully that the rain stops.
✅I hope that the rain stops.' / 'Hopefully, the rain will stop.
💡'hopefully' is an adverb; do not use it after 'be' like an adjective.

2. showing through your expression or tone of voice that you feel or expect somethi

2.副詞B1
釋義

showing through your expression or tone of voice that you feel or expect something good is about to happen.

例句

The children looked up hopefully at their grandfather, waiting to hear about the trip.

looked up hopefully — expression + gesture

'Will you come to my show?' Asher asked hopefully, holding up a bright flyer.

asked hopefully — tone-of-voice pattern

同義詞
  • expectantly

    stresses the idea of waiting for a specific outcome

  • optimistically

    focuses on a positive outlook toward the future

  • eagerly

    adds a sense of strong desire or impatience

反義詞

文法句型

verb + hopefully

hopefully + verb describing expression or gesture

用法筆記

This sense describes how someone acts or speaks — it is a manner adverb that typically comes after the verb. When it describes a look or tone, the sentence is easier to understand if you can picture the person's face or voice.

常見錯誤

❌She hopefully opened the door and saw the cake.' (ambiguous)
✅She opened the door hopefully and saw the cake.
💡placing 'hopefully' before the verb can create confusion with the sentence-adverb meaning (Sense 1). Put it after the verb for the manner reading.