as in desperation
utter loss of hope
the fans' hopelessness was dispelled as their team mounted a comeback
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hopelessness
The four teen-agers—Cabey, Barry Allen, Troy Canty, and James Ramseur—came from the South Bronx at a time when the borough was still a national byword for immiseration and hopelessness.
—
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
The hopelessness and resignation had deepened.
—Russell Lemle, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
Tarr told his sweeping film in chapters, and the prolonged runtime was crucial to the story’s power, showing an entire world devolving into hopelessness and oblivion, practically in real time.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2026
But dropping the gloves can feel like an exasperating last act born of desperation and hopelessness - a door that slams behind you, leaves you in the dark and seldom reopens.
—Aaron Davis, Sacbee.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Wolves are the candidates this time around, displaying the admirable levels of incompetence and hopelessness that typically make for a good candidate to dip below the magic mark.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
This show of sweetness fighting back against a sense of hopelessness builds an apprehensively brighter perspective than earlier work.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Their days are clouded by a feeling of hopelessness in their financial stability and the job market, combined with their basic need to survive amidst rising rent and grocery costs.
—Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 11 Nov. 2025
Death by Lightning is full of recognizable arrogance — political, social, medical — and also contains recognizable strains of both optimism and hopelessness.
—David Bianculli, NPR, 10 Nov. 2025
Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
The hopelessness and resignation had deepened.
—Russell Lemle, Mercury News, 7 Jan. 2026
Tarr told his sweeping film in chapters, and the prolonged runtime was crucial to the story’s power, showing an entire world devolving into hopelessness and oblivion, practically in real time.
—Tim Grierson, Rolling Stone, 6 Jan. 2026
But dropping the gloves can feel like an exasperating last act born of desperation and hopelessness - a door that slams behind you, leaves you in the dark and seldom reopens.
—Aaron Davis, Sacbee.com, 2 Jan. 2026
Wolves are the candidates this time around, displaying the admirable levels of incompetence and hopelessness that typically make for a good candidate to dip below the magic mark.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 2 Jan. 2026
This show of sweetness fighting back against a sense of hopelessness builds an apprehensively brighter perspective than earlier work.
—Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 2 Dec. 2025
Their days are clouded by a feeling of hopelessness in their financial stability and the job market, combined with their basic need to survive amidst rising rent and grocery costs.
—Hannah Nwoko, Parents, 11 Nov. 2025
Death by Lightning is full of recognizable arrogance — political, social, medical — and also contains recognizable strains of both optimism and hopelessness.
—David Bianculli, NPR, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopelessness
Noun
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At the time, Luchin told ABC7 that financial desperation following the closure of his Walnut Creek restaurant, Ottavio, played a role in his actions.—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Then Jordan Love's desperation heave into the end zone from the Bears 28 was knocked down as time expired to secure Chicago's first playoff win since the 2010 season.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Monday’s loss to the Celtics highlighted the despair in the state of the current Bulls frontcourt.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Jan. 2026
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But Wharton, unlike the characters in her novels, never seemed to give in to despair.—
Lila Shapiro,
Vulture,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Emotions were on full display with many expressing sadness and frustration, not only over Wednesday's federal raid, but raids happening around the Twin Cities over the last 40 days.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
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The initial answer to that question is a no, according to some evangelical pastors and commentators who reacted with shock and sadness to Yancey’s confession.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hopelessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hopelessness. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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