hopeless

adjective

hope·less | \ ˈhō-pləs

Definition of hopeless

1a : having no expectation of good or success : despairing felt hopeless and alone

b : not susceptible to remedy or cure doctors say his condition is hopeless

c : incapable of redemption or improvement She's a hopeless romantic. the most hopeless group of golfers you've ever seen

2a : giving no reason to expect good or success : giving no ground for hope : desperate The situation looked hopeless.

b : incapable of solution, management, or accomplishment : impossible a hopeless task

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Choose the Right Synonym for hopeless

despondent, despairing, desperate, hopeless mean having lost all or nearly all hope. despondent implies a deep dejection arising from a conviction of the uselessness of further effort. despondent about yet another rejection despairing suggests the slipping away of all hope and often despondency. despairing appeals for the return of the kidnapped child 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 hopeless suggests despair and the cessation of effort or resistance and often implies acceptance or resignation. the situation of the trapped miners is hopeless

Examples of hopeless in a Sentence

He felt confused and hopeless after losing his job. We were the most hopeless group of golfers you ever saw. He's very ill, but his condition isn't hopeless.

Recent Examples on the Web

The children, the mothers, the fathers, the shame of being filthy and hopeless and afraid. — Luis Alberto Urrea, Time, "The Shame of the Border Crisis Will Never Leave Us," 2 Aug. 2019 Amid the moment of celebration, Karin felt hopeless. — Sydney Czyzon, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "‘A voice for victims’: Milwaukee woman turns loss into opportunity to help community members heal," 1 Aug. 2019 But to Webb, that doesn’t mean those companies are hopeless. — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, "The Problem With Diversity in Computing," 25 June 2019 Their petition was hopeless, though; the king had been neutered a hundred years prior. — Declan Leary, National Review, "Conservatives Should Not Celebrate Religious Tyranny and Coercion," 19 July 2019 The images help her mind escape to a happier past, even briefly, from a present that feels hopeless. — Mark Curnutte, Cincinnati.com, "4 addresses in 4 months: This is what poverty looks like for this Cincinnati family," 10 July 2019 But meantime the rest of us should cheer the courage and resilience of the Hong Kong people who refused to bow to Beijing’s orders even when their cause looked hopeless. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "People Power, Hong Kong-Style," 9 July 2019 But the story for this film — which essentially centers around the two agents deducing who’s involved in a conspiracy to destroy Earth — is hopeless, confusing, and muddled. — Josh Spiegel, The Hollywood Reporter, "The Hidden Potential of 'Men in Black: International'," 15 June 2019 At the New York City premiere for Long Shot, Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen portrayed a couple falling in love in a hopeless place: the political minefield of Washington, D.C. — Vogue, "Chrissy Teigen and Darren Criss Rocked and Rolled at the 2019 City Harvest Gala," 2 May 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hopeless.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for hopeless

hopeless

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of hopeless

: having or feeling no hope

: unable to be changed

informal : unable to be helped or improved : very bad

See the full definition for hopeless in the English Language Learners Dictionary

hopeless

adjective

hope·less | \ ˈhō-pləs

Kids Definition of hopeless

1 : having no hope He feels hopeless about the future.

2 : offering no hope The situation looks hopeless.

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hopeless

Definition of hopeless

Other Words from hopeless

Synonyms & Antonyms for hopeless

Choose the Right Synonym for hopeless

Examples of hopeless in a Sentence

First Known Use of hopeless

English Language Learners Definition of hopeless

Kids Definition of hopeless

hopeless

Definition of hopeless

Other Words from hopeless

Synonyms & Antonyms for hopeless

Choose the Right Synonym for hopeless

Examples of hopeless in a Sentence

First Known Use of hopeless

English Language Learners Definition of hopeless

Kids Definition of hopeless

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