slight hope

USAGE SUMMARY

'slight hope' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use the phrase to express a feeling of hope that something will happen, even though it is small or uncertain. For example, "With the new treatments, we had a slight hope that she might recover."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

26 human-written examples

It's a slight hope, that our planet might be preserved.

The Guardian - Books

It is a slight hope, but there are no sensible alternatives.

The Economist

The men announced a series of political reforms and a reshuffling of Mr. Putin's staff, which gave liberals slight hope.

The New York Times

Still, even if Strawberry were given a slight hope of returning after four or five months, the Yankees cannot and will not wait.

The New York Times - Sports

"I find it ridiculous that they're asking for six weeks to combat something that has existed for this long," says Leke Ayo-Ositelu, an e-commerce worker in Lagos.The recent involvement of Nigeria's neighbours provides a slight hope.

The Economist

A jumble of factors, including stingier employers, cost-conscious patients and expiring drug-patents, offered the slight hope that spending might be starting to taper off.New projections, released on June 12th, explode the dream.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

34 human-written examples

("My father forbade me to nourish the slightest hope of ever being allowed to study art.

The New Yorker

"Before 1914 they were marginal figures," he writes, without "the slightest hope of entering political life".

The Economist

As long as there is the slightest hope, we will never relax our efforts".

The New York Times

The boys and girls were nobodies, "Without even the slightest hope of a 1000 sales," as the song goes.

The Guardian - Arts

"I think there's a belief by some in the U.S. that there's the slightest hope in disrupting funding for the A350 XWB," Mr. Aboulafia said.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Combine "slight hope" with qualifiers like 'at least' or 'even' to emphasize the minimal nature of the hope.

Common error

Avoid using "slight hope" when the situation warrants a stronger expression of optimism. "Slight hope" should accurately reflect a small chance of a positive outcome, not a confident expectation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "slight hope" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where 'slight' modifies the noun 'hope'. It describes the degree or intensity of the hope being expressed, suggesting that it is not a strong or certain one. As Ludwig AI shows, it is commonly used to express minimal optimism.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Academia

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "slight hope" is a commonly used and grammatically correct expression to denote a minimal degree of optimism or possibility. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it’s suitable for various contexts but most frequently found in news and media. While the phrase is generally neutral, its formality can vary depending on the surrounding text. For similar expressions, consider alternatives such as "faint hope" or "glimmer of hope". Remember to use "slight hope" accurately to reflect a truly limited chance of a positive outcome to avoid overstating the optimism. To summarise, "slight hope" accurately describes contexts where hope exists but is not strongly felt.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

faint hope

Indicates a hope that is weak or not very likely to be realized.

slim chance

Suggests a low probability of success or a positive outcome.

small possibility

Emphasizes the limited nature of the positive potential.

glimmer of hope

Highlights a small sign that things might improve.

ray of hope

Similar to 'glimmer of hope', but suggests a more directional and positive influence.

outside chance

Implies that the event is unlikely, but still possible.

remote possibility

Indicates that the chance of something happening is very small.

tenuous hope

Describes a hope that is fragile and easily broken.

minimal expectation

Focuses on the low level of anticipation for a favorable result.

forlorn hope

Suggests a hope that is unlikely to be fulfilled, often used when facing great odds.

FAQs

How can I use "slight hope" in a sentence?

You can use "slight hope" to express a small degree of optimism, as in, "Despite the challenges, there's still a "slight hope" that the project will succeed."

What are some alternatives to "slight hope"?

Alternatives include "faint hope", "slim chance", or "glimmer of hope", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "slight hope" or "small hope"?

"Slight hope" is generally preferred over "small hope" as it sounds more natural and is more commonly used in written English.

When is it appropriate to use "slight hope"?

Use "slight hope" when you want to acknowledge a minimal chance of a positive outcome, often in situations where the overall outlook is uncertain or negative.