hopeless

adjective

hope·​less ˈhō-pləs 

1

a

: having no expectation of good or success : despairing

felt hopeless and alone

b

: not susceptible to remedy or cure

doctors say his condition is hopeless

c

: incapable of redemption or improvement

She's a hopeless romantic.

the most hopeless group of golfers you've ever seen

2

a

: giving no reason to expect good or success : giving no ground for hope : desperate

The situation looked hopeless.

b

: incapable of solution, management, or accomplishment : impossible

a hopeless task

hopelessness noun

Synonyms

• incorrigible
• incurable
• irrecoverable
• irredeemable
• irreformable
• irremediable
• irretrievable
• unrecoverable
• unredeemable

Choose the Right Synonym for hopeless

despondent, despairing, desperate, hopeless mean having lost all or nearly all hope.

despondent implies a deep dejection arising from a conviction of the uselessness of further effort.

despondent about yet another rejection

despairing suggests the slipping away of all hope and often despondency.

despairing appeals for the return of the kidnapped child

desperate implies despair that prompts reckless action or violence in the face of defeat or frustration.

one last desperate attempt to turn the tide of battle

hopeless suggests despair and the cessation of effort or resistance and often implies acceptance or resignation.

the situation of the trapped miners is hopeless

Examples of hopeless in a Sentence

He felt confused and hopeless after losing his job.

We were the most hopeless group of golfers you ever saw.

He's very ill, but his condition isn't hopeless.

Recent Examples on the Web

Those nurses never stopped fighting for Mattie, even as her situation seemed hopeless. —Erin Clack, People.com, 10 May 2025

While critical gaps in testing still remain, innovation has ignited a diagnostic boom that has transformed the AIDS fight from hopeless to winnable. —Jennifer Lotito, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025

That is until a mysterious someone starts sending strange gifts to hopeless widower Henry (Sheen) and his two bickering children, Will and Ella. —Alex Ritman, Variety, 8 May 2025

Thus, all eyes turn to Antetokounmpo, much as all eyes did on Lillard as his situation in Portland grew increasingly hopeless in 2022 and 2023. —John Hollinger, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

hopeless

adjective

hope·​less ˈhō-pləs 

1

a

: having no expectation of good or success

b

: incurable

2

a

: giving no reason for hope : desperate

a hopeless situation

b

: incapable of solution or accomplishment : impossible

a hopeless task

hopelessly adverb

hopelessness noun