Synonyms of hapless

hapless

adjective

ˈha-pləs 

as in unfortunate

having, prone to, or marked by bad luck

the hapless motorist had barely paid his bill and driven away from the body shop when a truck sideswiped his car

Synonyms & Similar Words

• unfortunate
• unhappy
• luckless
• disastrous
• hard-luck
• unlucky
• catastrophic
• doomed
• unfavorable
• ill-fated
• ill-starred
• star-crossed
• adverse
• tragic
• jinxed
• snakebit
• damned
• inauspicious
• unpromising
• calamitous
• ill
• accursed
• untoward

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• happy
• lucky
• fortunate
• privileged
• gifted
• favored
• favorable
• promising
• golden
• fair
• blessed
• propitious
• auspicious

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hapless

Despite Sarah’s flapping her cardigan in the air like a hungover color-guard girl at a homecoming parade, the hapless Irish naval men sent to save her remained beyond the bobbing waves. — Claire Carusillo, Harpers Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026

The Tigers had an exhibition against Southeastern College, and sure enough, Skubal mowed down those hapless young hitters. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026

The movie focuses on a murder of a shepherd unraveled by his flock, which aids a somewhat hapless rural policeman in solving the crime. — David Folkenflik, NPR, 23 July 2026

The show, which is filmed and set in Stockport, England, follows Wood as Gemma Moscrip, a woman coming to terms with life as a mother, supported by her hapless father (Morrissey). — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 15 July 2026

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