Entry Word: hopeless

Function: adjective

Meaning: 1 not capable of being cured or reformed <a hopeless optimist who looked for the good in everyone and everything> <a hopeless criminal who spent most of his life in jail>

Synonyms incorrigible, incurable, irrecoverable, irredeemable, irremediable, irretrievable, unrecoverable, unredeemable

Related Words irreparable, irreversible; unpromising; impenitent, unreformed, unregenerate, unrepentant

Near Antonyms reversible; promising; penitent, repentant; repairable, reparable, salvageable

Antonyms correctable, curable, reclaimable, recoverable, redeemable, reformable, remediable, retrievable

2 emphasizing or expecting the worst <feeling hopeless about ever finding her lost cat> — see pessimistic 1
3 incapable of being solved or accomplished <keeping this desk organized is hopeless> — see impossible