hope against hope

Idioms

Hope or wish for with little reason or justification, as in I'm hoping against hope that someone will return my wallet. This expression, based on the biblical “Who against hope believed in hope” (Romans 4:18), was first recorded in 1813.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"Two policemen were there. I knew it was Andrew. You hope against hope they're going to tell me he's in hospital."

From BBC

"We still believe in a miracle, we still believe that she can come home - hope against hope," said the presenter.

From BBC

I occasionally use a cane, and I hope against hope to proceed no further along what I count as the three stages of physical aging—cane, walker, wheelchair.

From The Wall Street Journal

Vulnerability unites not only Bastian and Fito, but all of us witnessing their story who hope against hope that compassion will somehow win the day.

From Los Angeles Times

I was there to hope against hope that Laube wouldn’t get a break yet again.

From Los Angeles Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023