high hopes

Using this phrase is like seasoning a dish—you want to pair it with the right verbs. Most commonly, you have high hopes. You might also hold high hopes in more formal settings, or pin your high hopes on something specific, like a new job or a lucky charm. If things go wrong, your hopes are dashed or crushed. It's a very flexible collocation. You can use it as a noun phrase: 'Despite his high hopes, the movie was a flop.' Or as a direct statement: 'I have high hopes for our team this season.' Just remember, it’s almost always plural. Saying 'I have a high hope' will make you sound like a robot trying to pass as a human, and we definitely want to avoid that.

Think about the last time you started a new series on Netflix because everyone on Twitter was talking about it. You sat down with your popcorn, thinking, 'I have high hopes for this show.' Or consider a job interview on Zoom. You researched the company, you wore your best shirt (and pajama bottoms, let's be real), and you ended the call having high hopes for an offer. In the world of sports, fans start every season with high hopes, usually right before their team loses the first three games. It's the phrase used when the potential is there, but the result isn't guaranteed yet. It's the language of the 'pre-game' energy.

This phrase is perfect for new beginnings. Use it when you’re talking about a new relationship, a business venture, a vacation you’ve been planning for years, or even a new recipe you’re trying. It’s great for professional settings too, like when a manager says, 'We have high hopes for this project's success.' It conveys confidence and a positive outlook. It’s also very common in social media captions—picture a photo of someone moving to a new city with the caption: 'New city, new job, high hopes.' It’s a way to signal to the world that you are aiming for the stars.

Don't use high hopes for mundane, everyday tasks where optimism feels weirdly intense. If you're waiting for your toast to pop up, saying 'I have high hopes for this bread' makes you sound like you need more excitement in your life. It’s also not quite right for things that are 100% certain. You don't have high hopes that the sun will rise tomorrow; you just know it will. Save it for situations where there is a chance of failure, but you're choosing to look at the bright side anyway. Also, avoid it in very tragic situations where 'hope' feels too light—if someone is in a serious crisis, high hopes might sound a bit dismissive or overly bubbly.

Learners often try to swap high for other synonyms, but idioms are picky eaters. They only want specific words.

Another mistake is forgetting the 's'.

Keep it plural, keep it 'high', and you'll sound like you've lived in London or New York for years.

If you want to mix it up, you can use fingers crossed, which is more casual and implies a bit of luck. There's also expecting big things, which is more confident and less emotional. If you're feeling a bit more poetic, you might say you're optimistic about the future. For a more 'Gen Z' or internet-slang version, people often talk about manifesting a good result. If your hopes are specifically attached to one person or thing, you are pinning your hopes on them. Each of these has a slightly different flavor, but high hopes is the classic, 'gold standard' way to express that you're looking forward to something great.

While high hopes is the main course, there are some side dishes. You might hear people say they have hopes and dreams, which is a bit more broad and life-encompassing. Then there’s the negative side: shattered hopes or false hopes. False hopes is a big one—that’s when you’re optimistic about something that definitely isn't going to happen (like me thinking I'll actually go to the gym at 5 AM). You might also hear 'High Hopes' used as a title, thanks to the massive hit song by Panic! At The Disco. If you're talking to an older native speaker, they might think of the Frank Sinatra song about an ant moving a rubber tree plant. Both songs are about the same thing: staying positive against the odds.

Is it okay to use in an email? Yes, absolutely! 'I have high hopes for our collaboration' sounds professional yet warm. Does it mean the same as 'high expectations'? Almost, but expectations is more about what you *demand* or logically think will happen, while hopes is about what you *want* to happen. Can it be used for people? Yes, you can have high hopes for a student, a child, or a new hire. It’s a great way to show you believe in someone’s potential without putting the heavy pressure of 'expectations' on them.