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Definition of hopeless

hopeless

/ˈhoʊp.ləs/
hope · less
Adverb:hopelessly
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hopeless Lexical Profile

hopeless Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Feeling or causing despair about something; having no expectation of good or success.

Example

"As the storm intensified and communications failed, the rescue team's situation began to feel hopeless."

2

Incapable of solution, management, or accomplishment; impossible to succeed.

Example

"Searching for the lost ring in the vast, overgrown field seemed like a hopeless task."

3

Utterly inadequate, incompetent, or unskilled at a particular activity.

Example

"He admitted that he was completely hopeless at remembering people's birthdays."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for hopeless

• Nearby Words

hopeful
hopefully
hopefulness
hopeless
hopelessly
hopelessness
hopetoun

Word Origin & Etymology

From Old English hyhtleas (replaced in Middle English by hopeles), formed from hope and the privative suffix -less.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Hopeless. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/hopeless
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