30+ Collocations with “Hope” to Sound More Natural in English

In this lesson, you’ll learn 30+ common collocations with hope that will help you sound more natural in English. These hope collocations are especially useful for B2 First and C1 Advanced exams.

Let’s begin.

Common Adjective + Hope Collocations

Sincere Hope

A genuine, heartfelt wish.

• It is my sincere hope that you succeed.
• We express our sincere hope for peace.

Great Hope

Strong optimism about something.

• She is our greatest hope for the future.
• The new treatment offers great hope to patients.

High Hopes

Strong expectations of success.

• His parents have high hopes for him.
• The company has high hopes for the new product.

Real Hope

A realistic possibility.

• There is real hope of finding a solution.
• The team finally has real hope of winning.

False Hope

Hope based on unrealistic expectations.

• The doctor refused to give false hope.
• Don’t raise false hopes.

Fresh Hope

Renewed optimism after difficulty.

• The new evidence gave fresh hope.
• Spring brings fresh hope to many people.

Last Hope

The final remaining possibility.

• She was their last hope.
• This treatment is his last hope.

Faint Hope

Very small chance of success.

• There is still a faint hope of recovery.
• He held onto a faint hope of change.

Slim Hope

Very little chance.

• There’s only a slim hope we’ll finish on time.

Verb + Hope Collocations

Express Hope

To formally show optimism.

• We express hope for continued cooperation.

Raise Hope(s)

To create optimism.

• The news raised hopes of peace.
• Early results raised hopes among investors.

Dash Hope(s)

To destroy optimism.

• The defeat dashed their hopes.
• The announcement dashed all hope.

Give Hope

To inspire optimism.

• The speech gave people hope.
• Doctors gave the family hope.

Lose Hope

To stop believing.

• Don’t lose hope.
• He began to lose hope after months of waiting.

Abandon Hope

To completely give up.

• The rescuers refused to abandon hope.
• They never abandoned hope.

Restore Hope

To bring optimism back.

• The victory restored hope to the team.
• The new leader restored hope.

Offer Hope

To provide a positive possibility.

• The research offers hope for the future.

Hold Out Hope

To continue believing.

• We still hold out hope of success.

Pin Your Hopes On

To rely heavily on something.

• They pinned their hopes on the new policy.
• She pinned her hopes on the interview.

Build Hopes

To develop expectations.

• Don’t build your hopes too high.

Prepositional Patterns with Hope

Hope for

To want something to happen.

• We hope for the best.
• She hopes for a promotion.

Hope That

Used in formal writing.

• We hope that negotiations will succeed.

In the Hope That

Formal structure.

• He called in the hope that she would answer.

In Hopes Of

Similar meaning.

• She applied in hopes of getting the job.

Idiomatic Expressions with Hope

A Ray of Hope

A small sign of encouragement.

• There was a ray of hope in the darkness.

Live in Hope

To continue hoping.

• I haven’t heard back, but I live in hope.

Cling to the Hope

To continue hoping unrealistically.

• She clings to the hope that he will return.

Keep Hope Alive

To continue believing.

• We must keep hope alive.

Not a Hope in Hell

No chance at all (informal).

• You haven’t got a hope in hell of winning.

Hopes and Dreams

Life ambitions.

• She shared her hopes and dreams.

Beyond Hope

No possibility remaining.

• The situation seemed beyond hope.

Flicker of Hope

A small moment of optimism.

• There was a flicker of hope in his eyes.

Common Mistakes – Collocations with “Hope”

❌ strong hope
✔ high hopes

❌ big hope
✔ great hope

❌ make hope
✔ raise hope

❌ kill hopes
✔ dash hopes

Why Learning Collocations with “Hope” Matters

In Cambridge exams collocations are tested in Use of English. Strong collocation knowledge improves essays and reports, and natural vocabulary boosts your speaking score.

Instead of saying:

❌ I have big hopes.

You can say:

✔ I have high hopes.

✔ There is real hope.

✔ We hold out hope.

That’s the difference between correct English and advanced English.

Final Thoughts

Hope is a simple word — but it forms powerful and expressive collocations.

When you learn vocabulary in chunks like these, your English becomes more natural, fluent, confident and exam-ready. 

And that’s exactly what serious learners aim for.

FAQ 

What are common collocations with hope?
Common collocations include high hopes, false hope, give hope, dash hopes, and keep hope alive.

What does “dash someone’s hopes” mean?
It means to destroy someone’s expectations or optimism.

Are collocations with hope useful for Cambridge exams?
Yes. Collocations are frequently tested in Use of English tasks and improve vocabulary range in writing and speaking.

Related posts:

Collocations for Time Management

Collocations for C1 Advanced

100 Collocations to Use in Daily Life

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