An ambitious and aspiring young person:
— Two executive hopefuls joined the firm.

synonyms: aspirant, aspirer, wannabe, wannabee.

Roget 737b: politics; political science; candidacy, campaign, campaigning, electioneering; partisanship, ideology, factionalism.    election, poll, ballot, vote, referendum, recall, initiative, voice, suffrage, plumper, cumulative vote, plebiscitum [Lat.], plebiscite, vox populi; electioneering; voting etc. v.; elective franchise; straight ticket [U.S.]; opinion poll, popularity poll.    issue; opinion, stand, position; program, platform; party line.    [ideologies] democracy, republicanism; communism, statism, state socialism; socialism; conservatism, toryism; liberalism, whigism; theocracy; constitutional monarchy.    [political parties] party etc. 712; [U.S: Political parties list], Democratic Party, Republican Party, Socialist Party; Communist Party; [U.S. defunct parties: list], Federalist Party, Bull Moose Party, Abolitionist Party; [Germany: list], Christian Democratic Party, Social Democratic Party; National Socialist Worker's Party; [Germany, 1930-1945], Nazi Party; [Great Britain:list], Liberal Party, Labor Party, Conservative Party.    ticket, slate.    [person active in politics] politician activist; [specific politicians: list], candidate, aspirant, hopeful, office-seeker, front-runner, dark horse, long shot, shoo-in; supporter, backer, political worker, campaign worker; lobbyist, contributor; party hack, ward heeler; regional candidate, favorite son; running mate, stalking horse; perpetual candidate, political animal.    political contribution, campaign contribution; political action committee, PAC.    political district, electoral division, electoral district, bailiwick.    electorate, constituents.    get-out-the-vote campaign, political education.    negative campaigning, dirty politics, smear campaign.    [unsuccessful candidate] also-ran, loser; has-been.    [successful candidate] office holder, official, occupant of a position; public servant, incumbent; winner.    ... show more

Roget 129: infant, babe, baby, babe in arms; nurseling, suckling, yearling, weanling; papoose, bambino; kid; vagitus.    child, bairn [Scot.], little one, brat, chit, pickaninny, urchin; bantling, bratling^†; elf.    youth, boy, lad, stripling, youngster, youngun, younker^†, callant^†, whipster^†, whippersnapper, whiffet [U.S.], schoolboy, hobbledehoy, hopeful, cadet, minor, master.    scion; sap, seedling; tendril, olive branch, nestling, chicken, larva, chrysalis, tadpole, whelp, cub, pullet, fry, callow; codlin, codling; foetus, calf, colt, pup, foal, kitten; lamb, lambkin^†; aurelia^†, caterpillar, cocoon, nymph, nympha^†, orphan, pupa, staddle^†.    girl; lass, lassie; wench, miss, damsel, demoiselle; maid, maiden; virgin; hoyden.    ... show more

Dutch: Wilt zijn

Having or manifesting hope.

Roget 472: probable, likely, hopeful, to be expected, in a fair way.    plausible, specious, ostensible, colorable, ben trovato [It], well-founded, reasonable, credible, easy of belief, presumable, presumptive, apparent.    ... show more

Likely to turn out well in the future:
— A hopeful new singer on Broadway.

synonyms: bright, promising.

Roget 836: cheerful; happy etc. 827; cheery, cheerly^†; of good cheer, smiling; blithe; in spirits, in good spirits; breezy, bully, chipper [U.S.]; in high spirits, in high feather; happy as the day is long, happy as a king; gay as a lark; allegro; debonair; light, lightsome, light hearted; buoyant, debonnaire, bright, free and easy, airy; janty^†, jaunty, canty^†; hedonic^†; riant^†; sprightly, sprightful^†; spry; spirited, spiritful^†; lively, animated, vivacious; brisk as a bee; sparkling, sportive; full of play, full of spirit; all alive.    sunny, palmy; hopeful etc. 858.    merry as a cricket, merry as a grig^†, merry as a marriage bell; joyful, joyous, jocund, jovial; jolly as a thrush, jolly as a sandboy^†; blithesome; gleeful, gleesome^†; hilarious, rattling.    winsome, bonny, hearty, buxom.    playful, playsome^†; folatre [Fr.], playful as a kitten, tricksy^†, frisky, frolicsome; gamesome; jocose, jocular, waggish; mirth loving, laughter-loving; mirthful, rollicking.    elate, elated; exulting, jubilant, flushed; rejoicing etc. 838; cock-a-hoop.    cheering, inspiriting, exhilarating; cardiac, cardiacal^†; pleasing etc. 829; palmy.    ... show more

Roget 858: hoping etc. v.; in hopes etc. n.; hopeful, confident; secure etc. (certain) 484; sanguine, in good heart, buoyed up, buoyant, elated, flushed, exultant, enthusiastic; heartsome^†; utopian.    unsuspecting, unsuspicious; fearless, free from fear, free from suspicion, free from distrust, free from despair, exempt from fear, exempt from suspicion, exempt from distrust, exempt from despair; undespairing^†, self reliant.    probable, on the high road to; within sight of shore, within sight of land; promising, propitious; of promise, full of promise; of good omen; auspicious, de bon augure [Fr.]; reassuring; encouraging, cheering, inspiriting, looking up, bright, roseate, couleur de rose [Fr.], rose-colored.    ... show more