Key Difference: The term ‘Hope’ refers to a person’s wishes and desires that a person has. The term ‘wish’ is often associated with magic or artifacts upon which someone wishes.  Wish is also used to express desires or give someone best regards.

Hope and wish are two words that are often believed to be similar in nature because they both depend on a person’s desires. However, these words though imply desires, are used in different contexts.

The term ‘Hope’ refers to a person’s wishes and desires that a person has. These desires are usually attached to a strong emotion and are often doable, with a little extra push. For example: I hope to pass my driving test. This is doable, if the person studies and practices. Using hope implies, there is a higher percentage of this event happening. In the past tense, hope is referred to as hoped.

Dictionary.com defines ‘hope’ as:

• the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best
• a particular instance of this feeling
• grounds for this feeling in a particular instance
• a person or thing in which expectations are centered
• something that is hoped for
• to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence.
• to believe, desire, or trust
• to feel that something desired may happen

Examples of ‘hope’:

• I give up hope that this will turn out for the best.
• I hope we will this competition.
• There is little or no hope of his recovery.
• The medicine was her last hope.
• Her forgiveness is my constant hope.
• I hope to see my son graduate.
• We hope for an early summer.
• I hope the work I’ve done is satisfactory for the promotion.

The term ‘wish’ is often associated with magic or artifacts upon which someone wishes. For example, people make a wish when they blow out their birthday candles, eyelashes are wished upon when they fall or genies from Aladdin are there to fulfill all your wishes. Wish is also a desire; however it is not always doable, or is very difficult to complete. A wish could also be something completely outrages that can never happen, such as in this sentence, Mary wishes she had wings so she could fly with the birds. The word ‘wish’ can also be used to give someone your best regards, for example: I wish you a lot of happiness on your wedding day or simply Happy Birthday is also a form of a wish.

Dictionary.com defines ‘wish’ as:

• to want; desire; long for (usually followed by an infinitive or a clause)
• to desire (a person or thing) to be (as specified): to wish the problem settled.
• to entertain wishes, favorably or otherwise, for
• to bid, as in greeting or leave-taking
• to request or charge
• to desire; long; yearn
• to make a wish
• an expression of a wish, often one of a kindly or courteous nature
• to wish upon a certain object or talisman

Examples of ‘wish’:

• I wish to travel.
• I wish that it were morning.
• I wish him the best during his recovery.
• I’m going to wish the neighbor, Good Morning.
• I wish he could come to the party.
• He wished upon a star.

Image Courtesy: addictionandrecoverynews.wordpress.com, khaizz-loveheart.blogspot.com