Phrase guide

hope against hope

verb · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To continue to hope, even when what is hoped for seems unlikely or impossible.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Likely a paraphrase of the first few words of Romans 4:18.

Across languages

Translations

3 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Italian: sperare nell'impossibile — to keep hoping even when the odds are against
  • Serbo-Croatian: у̏залӯдно се на́дати — to keep hoping even when the odds are against
  • Serbo-Croatian: ȕzalūdno se nádati — to keep hoping even when the odds are against