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

The evolution of terrorism Law enforcement spends much of its focus on plots that happened and attacks that became near misses through hapless bad actors. — Mark Morales, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026

Number 10 hits back as a hapless Prime Minister plays his hand in the age of regime decapitation. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026

The clever premise provides the opportunity for plenty of high-octane action sequences, including fistfights, shootouts, explosions and car chases, with the hapless Ben providing comic relief from Hank’s Terminator-like indestructibility. — Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026

Joining Ben Stiller’s hapless Greg Focker and Robert De Niro’s gruff Jack Byrnes as the next-generation taker of the lie-detector test is the singular Ariana Grande, whose comedy bona fides are of course on full display. — Jack Smart, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026

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