hopium

English

Alternative forms

• hopeium

Etymology

Blend of hope +‎ opium, as though it were a drug; likely modelled after copium; regarding the surface analysis as hope +‎ -ium, see copium § Etymology.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈhəʊ.pi.əm/

• Audio (UK):

  (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈhoʊ.pi.əm/
• Rhymes: -əʊpiəm

Noun

hopium (uncountable)

1. (colloquial, derogatory) A clinging to unreasonable or unfounded hopes.
   • 2016, Tracy Schorn, Leave a Cheater, Gain a Life: The Chump Lady's Survival Guide‎^[1], Hachette, →ISBN:

     Hopium can make you see potential in the grimmest set of circumstances.

   • 2020, Jack Adam Weber, Carolyn Baker, Climate Cure: Heal Yourself to Heal the Planet‎^[2], Llewellyn Worldwide, →ISBN:

     This way, we might avoid depression, panic, denial, and hopium for good or bad news, any of which renders us more unrealistic, unprepared, and unwell.

   • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:hopium.

Usage notes

• Often associated with the Barack Obama "Hope" poster and associated political beliefs.

Related terms

• copium
• hopenosis