hopeless

adjective

hope·​less ˈhō-pləs How to pronounce hopeless (audio)
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
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 But that character is unpredictable and wonderfully ridiculous and just kind of a hopeless romantic really. Antonia Blyth, Deadline, 19 Sep. 2024 Without a transcript of the trial, an appeal is hopeless and only encourages bad actors to take liberties with the truth and the law, aware there will be no repercussions. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2024 In 2021, 42% of U.S. high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control. Aditi Shrikant, CNBC, 15 Sep. 2024 Candidates and their campaigns can affect how hopeful, and hopeless, Americans feel. Susan Page, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for hopeless 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'hopeless.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1534, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of hopeless was in 1534

Dictionary Entries Near hopeless

Cite this Entry

“Hopeless.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hopeless. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

hopeless

adjective
hope·​less ˈhō-pləs How to pronounce hopeless (audio)
1
a
: having no expectation of good or success
b
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

More from Merriam-Webster on hopeless

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