hopeless

hope + -less

• (UK) IPA ^(key): /həʊplɛs/
• (US) IPA ^(key): /hoʊpləs/

• Audio (US)

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• Audio (US)

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1. If you are hopeless you do not have hope. You do not expect anything good to happen.

   When I lost my job I became completely hopeless.

2. If a situation (way things are) is hopeless, there is little chance that something good might happen. The situation can't be made better.

   The sinking ship was hopeless, there was no way to repair it.

   The people on the sinking ship found the situation hopeless, because land was too far to swim to.

3. If you are hopeless, there is no chance you will change or learn.

   Oh, you're hopeless! You keep expecting someone perfect to come through that door, but it will never happen.

• hopeful

• hope
• hopeless romantic