as in desperation
utter loss of hope
the fans' hopelessness was dispelled as their team mounted a comeback
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Recent Examples of hopelessness
His motion veered between expressions of hopelessness and elaborate proposals for prisoner exchanges.
—
Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
The American intelligence community has long known that insurgent groups—many of which openly seek the destruction of the United States—rely on desperation, food insecurity, and hopelessness to gain recruits.
—Hana Kiros, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
And with that came a feeling of complete hopelessness.
—Danielle Parker, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Additional data shows that the lack of in person connection is quickly becoming a relationship crisis, with 78% of Bumble users sharing that anxiety and stress to present themselves as perfect lead to hopelessness in finding someone, which in turn has lessened the rates of offline relationships.
—Rachel Burchfield, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Another 2022 study from Rutgers University, focused on COVID-19 news, found that greater daily exposure to news about the virus was linked to higher same-day and next-day worry about the pandemic as well as feelings of hopelessness and general worry.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026
There’s a big conversation going on in the UK about the need for positivity in climate fiction, for example—paths of light to direct people away from hopelessness and pessimism.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Other red flags can include trouble functioning during the day, withdrawal from social life or activities, meaningful mood changes, or mentions of hopelessness or self-harm.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 19 Jan. 2026
The poverty of spirit and hopelessness across Black communities would trouble King.
—Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
The American intelligence community has long known that insurgent groups—many of which openly seek the destruction of the United States—rely on desperation, food insecurity, and hopelessness to gain recruits.
—Hana Kiros, The Atlantic, 3 Feb. 2026
And with that came a feeling of complete hopelessness.
—Danielle Parker, CBS News, 3 Feb. 2026
Additional data shows that the lack of in person connection is quickly becoming a relationship crisis, with 78% of Bumble users sharing that anxiety and stress to present themselves as perfect lead to hopelessness in finding someone, which in turn has lessened the rates of offline relationships.
—Rachel Burchfield, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Another 2022 study from Rutgers University, focused on COVID-19 news, found that greater daily exposure to news about the virus was linked to higher same-day and next-day worry about the pandemic as well as feelings of hopelessness and general worry.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026
There’s a big conversation going on in the UK about the need for positivity in climate fiction, for example—paths of light to direct people away from hopelessness and pessimism.
—Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
Other red flags can include trouble functioning during the day, withdrawal from social life or activities, meaningful mood changes, or mentions of hopelessness or self-harm.
—wendy Wisner, Parents, 19 Jan. 2026
The poverty of spirit and hopelessness across Black communities would trouble King.
—Willie Wilson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopelessness
Noun
-
As half-time approached during Sunderland’s visit, there was a growing desperation for an opener from the Emirates crowd.—
Art de Roché,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Saturday in the Battle at the Bay at Mission Bay High School, the last big event before the end of the regular season, Montgomery fell behind by 17 points, went on a 16-0 run, and then lost 57-56 to Steele Canyon when a desperation last-second shot banged off the rim.—
John Maffei,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Frederick battled intermittent despair and sought solace in Swedenborgianism and other, stranger beliefs.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
-
That’s not always possible, but don’t despair.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Get ready for tears – of sadness, of fear, and of laughter.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
6 Feb. 2026
-
That's my sadness around that game.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hopelessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hopelessness. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
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