not a hope

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "not a hope" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to express that there is no chance or possibility of something happening. Example: "He thought he could win the lottery, but I told him there was not a hope." Alternative expressions include "no chance" and "not a prayer."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

Not a hope.

The New York Times - Sports

There's not a hope in hell.

Independent

There's not a hope of that".

The New York Times

Not a hope in hell I'm agreeing to this.

Independent

There was not a sniff of what was coming, not a hope in hell.

The Guardian

"That's not a hope, that's a definite," said Bardor Tulku Rinpoche, one of two high Tibetan lamas at Woodstock.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

Brightly clothed, dead-eyed, they hadn't a hope.

The Guardian - Music

You might think that Labour hasn't a hope tomorrow.

The Guardian - Opinion

"You haven't a hope of becoming the next Chancellor", he declared loudly.

Independent

Either way, says Dyke, Blatter hasn't a hope of remaining in post until his successor is appointed this winter.

The Guardian

"If the state couldn't borrow money, the banks hadn't a hope in hell," says McQuaid.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider appending "in hell" or "in the world" to increase the rhetorical weight of the negation in informal contexts.

Common error

A frequent error is treating "hope" as an uncountable noun in this specific idiom. While you can say "I have no hope", you cannot say "not hope" as a standalone rejection; the indefinite article is required in the phrase "not a hope" to maintain its idiomatic force.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not a hope" serves as a predicative noun phrase or an elliptical exclamation. In its full form, it often follows the pattern "there is not a hope of..." or "he hasn't not a hope...". According to Ludwig, this structure is used to negate a proposition with more rhetorical force than a simple "no".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

10%

Social Media

10%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "not a hope" is a highly effective way to signal complete impossibility. Data from Ludwig shows that it is a favorite among journalists and commentators to puncture unrealistic optimism. Whether used standalone as a sharp rebuttal or expanded into the emphatic "not a hope in hell", it remains a staple of modern English for conveying certainty about a negative outcome. While it is grammatically correct, its strong rhetorical flavor makes it most suitable for News & Media and storytelling rather than purely objective academic papers.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not a hope in hell

A highly emphatic and informal version commonly used in the UK and Australia.

no chance

More direct and slightly more informal, used frequently in spoken English.

not a prayer

A more idiomatic variation that implies even a miracle wouldn't help.

not a glimmer of hope

A more poetic or literary way to express the absence of possibility.

zero possibility

Shifts the tone to a more clinical or objective stance.

no prospect

More formal and often used in business or economic contexts.

fat chance

Used sarcastically to mean there is no chance at all.

beyond any hope

Focuses on the state of the situation being irreparable.

not a snowball's chance in hell

An extremely emphatic idiom used to express complete impossibility.

hardly any hope

Suggests a tiny, negligible possibility rather than absolute zero.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "not a hope"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "no chance", "not a prayer" or "no possibility".

Is "not a hope" correct in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, it leans toward a neutral or informal register. In very formal academic or legal documents, you might prefer "no prospect of" or "highly improbable".

What does the intensifier "in hell" add to the phrase?

Adding "in hell" creates the common idiom "not a hope in hell", which significantly increases the emphasis to suggest that the outcome is completely impossible.

Can "not a hope" be used as a standalone sentence?

Yes, in response to a question or a suggestion, it is perfectly acceptable as a standalone elliptical sentence (e.g. "Will he win?" "Not a hope!").