Meaning

The triumph of hope over experience

The meaning of the phrase

A literal view of the subject of remarriage.

The triumph of hope over experience

What’s the origin of the phrase ‘The triumph of hope over experience’?

This remark is reported to have been said by Samuel Johnson in James Boswell’s Life of Samuel Johnson, 1791. The occasion was Johnson’s hearing of a man who had remarried soon after the death of a wife to whom he had been unhappily married.

Historical trend

“triumph of hope over experience” in printed material over time

Source: Google Books Ngrams (1820–2020).

18201840186018801900192019401960198020002020
  • triumph of hope over experience

Cited as a source

Referenced by 1 trusted source for this phrase

Backlink data verified June 2026 via Ahrefs (live index). These sources cite Phrase Finder as a reference for the meaning and origin of this expression.