English dictionary, thesaurus, translations & etymology

adj B1 Intermediate Uncommon

hopeless

HOHP-lihs

Hopeless (adj) means Without hope; expecting nothing good to happen. Example: “He felt hopeless after losing his job for the third time.”

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adj

1

Without hope; expecting nothing good to happen.

"He felt hopeless after losing his job for the third time."

"The situation seemed hopeless until help arrived."

2

Offering no chance of a good result; desperate.

"It was a hopeless attempt to fix the old engine."

3

Completely lacking skill or ability at something.

"I'm hopeless at remembering names."

How to use hopeless

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishWithout any hope — or, informally, just very bad at something.

Common pairings

hopeless case hopeless at something feel hopeless

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C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

C2 · Advanced serendipity Fortunate discoveries made entirely by accident.

Gen Z slang rizz Charm — the ability to attract a romantic interest.

B2 · Intermediate empathy The capacity to share another person’s feelings.

C1 · Advanced nonchalant Casually calm and relaxed; unconcerned.

Internet slang delulu Delusional — believing something against the odds.

Etymology nostalgia Greek nostos “return home” + algos “pain”.

Word forms

more hopeless comparative, most hopeless superlative

Test yourself on “hopeless” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage →

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He felt _____ after losing his job for the third time.

Etymology

From hope + -less ("without").

Synonyms

despairing futile incompetent inept bleak desperate unhopeful forlorn

Antonyms

hopeful

Related words

bad positive stupid sad temperature candidate abandoned desperate

Rhymes for hopeless

useless ageless wireless homeless tireless careless lifeless baseless clueless timeless loveless nameless

See all rhymes for hopeless →

Frequently asked questions

What does “hopeless” mean?

The word “hopeless” means without hope; expecting nothing good to happen. In plain terms, without any hope — or, informally, just very bad at something.

How do you pronounce “hopeless”?

“Hopeless” is pronounced HOHP-lihs (/ˈhoʊplɪs/ in IPA).

How do you use “hopeless” in a sentence?

Here is “hopeless” used in a sentence: “He felt hopeless after losing his job for the third time.”

What is another word for “hopeless”?

Words with a similar meaning to “hopeless” include desperate, unhopeful and forlorn.

What is the opposite of “hopeless”?

The opposite of “hopeless” — its antonyms — is hopeful.

What part of speech is “hopeless”?

“Hopeless” is an adjective.

Is “hopeless” a common word?

“Hopeless” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

How many meanings does “hopeless” have?

“Hopeless” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: without hope; expecting nothing good to happen.

What is the difference between hopeless and helpless?

Hopeless means expecting nothing good to happen or offering no chance of a good result, while helpless means unable to help or protect oneself. A situation can be hopeless without a person being helpless, and vice versa.

What does it mean to be 'hopeless at' something?

Being 'hopeless at' something means completely lacking skill or ability at that activity, such as being hopeless at cooking or hopeless at sports.

What is the difference between hopeless and pointless?

Hopeless suggests a situation offers no realistic chance of a good outcome, while pointless suggests an action or effort has no purpose or benefit at all, even if success were possible.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial