Synonyms of hopeless

hopeless

adjective

ˈhō-pləs 

1

as in incurable

not capable of being cured or reformed

a hopeless optimist who looked for the good in everyone and everything

was a hopeless romantic who never stopped looking for a soulmate

Synonyms & Similar Words

• incurable
• incorrigible
• irredeemable
• irremediable
• irretrievable
• unredeemable
• irreparable
• irrecoverable
• unrecoverable
• irreversible
• irreformable
• uncorrectable
• unpromising
• unrepentant
• impenitent
• unreformed
• unregenerate
• unencouraging

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recoverable
• curable
• redeemable
• remediable
• reversible
• retrievable
• promising
• encouraging
• sorry
• regretful
• savable
• repentant
• remorseful
• reformable
• reclaimable
• rueful
• penitent
• salvageable
• repairable
• correctable
• reparable
• fixable
• rectifiable
• salvable

2

as in cynical

emphasizing or expecting the worst

the poor woman was feeling hopeless about ever finding her lost cat

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cynical
• desperate
• despairing
• pessimistic
• bleak
• depressing
• discouraging
• negative
• defeatist
• grim
• unlikely
• downbeat
• bearish
• fatalistic
• nihilistic
• somber
• hostile
• cheerless
• unpromising
• morose
• disheartening
• sullen
• inauspicious
• gloomy
• dismal
• nihilist
• dreary
• sepulchral
• desolate
• funereal
• contrary
• saturnine
• comfortless

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• optimistic
• hopeful
• rosy
• promising
• likely
• upbeat
• bright
• encouraging
• fair
• golden
• propitious
• good
• heartening
• positive
• auspicious
• reassuring
• comforting
• favorable
• Pollyannaish
• Pollyanna
• romantic
• Panglossian
• utopian
• rose-colored
• idealist
• cheerful
• visionary
• cheery
• cheering
• sunny
• chipper

3

as in impossible

incapable of being solved or accomplished

keeping this desk organized is hopeless

Synonyms & Similar Words

• impossible
• unlikely
• futile
• problematic
• impractical
• insoluble
• useless
• unattainable
• unsolvable
• unrealizable
• incredible
• insolvable
• absurd
• undoable
• insuperable
• unworkable
• dubious
• impracticable
• questionable
• unusable
• infeasible
• improbable
• shaky
• unfeasible
• suspicious
• inconceivable
• ridiculous
• doubtful
• unbelievable
• implausible
• suspect
• unthinkable
• unimaginable
• debatable
• fishy
• disputable
• far-fetched
• shady
• fantastic
• outlandish
• doubtable
• preposterous

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• possible
• feasible
• workable
• soluble
• practical
• achievable
• useful
• attainable
• reasonable
• functional
• applicable
• probable
• usable
• serviceable
• practicable
• working
• realizable
• likely
• doable
• resolvable
• acceptable
• plausible
• conceivable
• credible
• believable

4

as in desperate

feeling or showing no hope

the hopeless look on the faces of the fans as the other team scored again

Synonyms & Similar Words

• desperate
• sad
• unhappy
• disappointed
• despairing
• bleak
• cynical
• despondent
• forlorn
• depressed
• mournful
• heartbroken
• dark
• melancholy
• miserable
• depressing
• accepting
• dejected
• discouraged
• joyless
• gloomy
• dispirited
• sorrowful
• heartsick
• woebegone
• sorry
• disconsolate
• crestfallen
• glum
• abject
• downcast
• woeful
• wretched
• inconsolable
• doleful
• blue
• disheartened
• brokenhearted
• hangdog
• resigned
• downhearted
• grieving
• desolate
• weeping
• low
• saddened
• cheerless
• dismal
• pessimistic
• dreary
• low-spirited
• wailing
• heartsore
• comfortless
• down
• drear
• funereal

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• optimistic
• hopeful
• ecstatic
• exuberant
• euphoric
• exultant
• enraptured
• merry
• jolly
• jovial
• gay
• mirthful
• blithe
• elated
• exhilarated
• happy
• cheerful
• encouraged
• joyful
• entranced
• joyous
• lively
• perky
• vivacious
• glad
• blissful
• jubilant
• animated
• cheery
• jocund
• buoyant
• blithesome
• sprightly
• gleeful
• upbeat
• jaunty
• delighted
• sunny
• lightsome
• heartened
• chipper
• sprightful
• gladsome
• gladdened

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective hopeless differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of hopeless are despairing, desperate, and despondent. While all these words mean "having lost all or nearly all hope," hopeless suggests despair and the cessation of effort or resistance and often implies acceptance or resignation.

the situation of the trapped miners is hopeless

When is despairing a more appropriate choice than hopeless?

The meanings of despairing and hopeless largely overlap; however, despairing suggests the slipping away of all hope and often despondency.

despairing appeals for the return of the kidnapped child

In what contexts can desperate take the place of hopeless?

While the synonyms desperate and hopeless are close in meaning, 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

When can despondent be used instead of hopeless?

While in some cases nearly identical to hopeless, despondent implies a deep dejection arising from a conviction of the uselessness of further effort.

despondent about yet another rejection

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of hopeless

Neglecting himself to worship a projection, Narcissus isn’t so much struck down by the gods as he is lost to hopeless delusion. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2026

And for the hopeless romantics among us, there’s confessions of love, yearning, and unlikely lovers. —De Elizabeth, Glamour, 17 Mar. 2026

Some may feel the problem is hopeless, but on Saturday, one man was undertaking an arduous journey to bring attention to the problem. —John Ramos, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2026

Khamenei left Iranians hopeless and afraid, with few avenues for seeking political change that didn’t end in exile or death. —Alex Shams, Time, 14 Mar. 2026