wishfully
- adverb
- /ˈwɪʃfəli/
- Many times over the years, historians may have leaned back and wishfully sighed after closing a transcript, longing to hear a voice or see the person.
Examples
-
You have a sneaking suspicion that ignoring the deadline isn't such a great idea, but you wishfully reason that if you just let it pass, somehow your problems will solve themselves.
Academic text (2006) -
Maybe, she reasoned wishfully, their clothes had shrunk.
Fiction book (1999) -
I am familiar with, and you will have a much different picture than you wishfully imagine.
Blog text (28) -
And we have kind of wishfully misread along with her, because we like Madeleine and want her to be happy.
Blog text (24) -
They wishfully think that every single child has the intrinsic goal of attending college and thus force curriculum and testing onto them with that in mind.
Blog text (10) -
She looked wishfully out the window, dreaming of a vacation she could never afford.
-
He spoke wishfully about winning the lottery, even though he knew the odds were against him.
-
They gazed wishfully at the expensive car, hoping one day to drive something just as luxurious.
Synonyms
In a way that shows you want something to happen
In a sad way that shows you wish for something you no longer have
Showing a strong wish for something you cannot have now
In a soft, urgent way that asks for something
Someone shows a begging look or voice while asking for help
In a way that shows a strong wish for something
In a begging way that shows strong need or hope
In a very hopeful way that is not realistic
In a calm way as if lost in thought
Antonyms
How Wishful
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
The word wishfully comes from wish + -ful + -ly. Think of -ful as 'full of' and -ly as 'in a way', so wishfully means 'in a way full of wishes', which is why it describes hoping for something that may not happen.