Collocations are chunks of words or phrases that help you sound natural when speaking a foreign language. It is very important to know that you shouldn’t say “I’m working on my homework” (which makes sense), but “I’m doing my homework” because the former is a genuine collocation. In that sense, here are 15 commonly used collocations with the word “hope” to help you adopt natural English expressions as well as build up your vocabulary:

Sincere hope

Meaning: when you truly want something.

• It is my sincere hope their marriage will be a happy one.
• You are free now and we sincerely hope that you won’t break the law again.

A ray of hope

Meaning: when something gives you a small amount of hope in a difficult situation.

• In her hard life, her son was the only ray of hope.
• But in the darkest hours of war and terror, there was always a ray of hope which helped us hang on.

High hopes

Meaning: when someone is aiming at something difficult or impossible to attain.

• Thomas felt sorry because he hasn’t realised the high hopes of his parents.
• The government had high hopes for the new law of discrimination.

False hope

Meaning: when you have hopes and feelings about something that may not be true.

• I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t give my patient and his wife false hope.
• Do you really think it’s a good idea to throw false hopes at him?

Early hopes

Meaning: initial hope.

• His early hopes of becoming a doctor became true.
• The early hope that the war would end soon hasn’t been fulfilled.

Be full of hope (hopeful)

Meaning: feeling optimistic about something.

• They were full of hope they’d get the tickets.
• Mary was so hopeful about her job interview.

Hope for the best

Meaning: to hope that something will be successful.

• I had the car fixed, so we can now hope for the best.
• Popular wisdom says: hope for the best – prepare for the worst.

Cherish hope

Meaning: to always keep your hope in your mind.

• Mary cherished the hope David would propose to her.
• Many members of the resistance cherished the hope that they would win the war.

Keep hope alive

Meaning: to not stop believing in something even if it seems unlikely to happen.

• Despite the difficulties, they kept their hope of moving abroad alive.
• We should be patient and keep our hopes alive that grandpa’s condition would stabilise soon.

Cling to the hope

Meaning: hoping that something will happen although it’s not realistic.

• Sara is still clinging to the hope that Brian would eventually stop drinking.
• I still cling to the hope of being employed as an accountant in that multinational company.

Live in hope

Meaning: to be hopeful about something.

• The police said there is a small chance to get our car back, but we live in hope.
• The company I applied for the job at hasn’t called me for an interview yet but I live in hope.

Give up hope

Meaning: to stop hoping that something will happen or that something is true.

• He gave up his hopes of becoming a pilot.
• Seeing him with another woman, Mary gave up hope that he might return.`

Every hope

Meaning: feeling confident about the outcome of something.

• We have every hope of finishing the project this year.
• The patient is recovering very well, so we have every hope that he’d be home by Christmas.

Hope in hell

Meaning: refers to something impossible to achieve.

• You haven’t got a hope in hell of getting that job.
• I think that you don’t have a hope in hell of catching any fish from that river.

Hopes and dreams

Meaning:  refers to everything somebody hopes for.

• What are your hopes and dreams about the future?
• She told me all about her hopes and dreams.

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