1
as in incurable
not capable of being cured or reformed
a hopeless optimist who looked for the good in everyone and everything was a hopeless romantic who never stopped looking for a soulmate
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cynical
emphasizing or expecting the worst
the poor woman was feeling hopeless about ever finding her lost cat
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3
as in impossible
incapable of being solved or accomplished
keeping this desk organized is hopeless
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4
as in desperate
feeling or showing no hope
the hopeless look on the faces of the fans as the other team scored again
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hopeless
Feeling hopeless, George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) is a man considering suicide while a wingless guardian angel from heaven, Clarence (Henry Travers), is tasked with intervening.
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Kevin Jacobsen, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Dec. 2025
As portrayed by Hopkins, this Nixon is, deep down, a broken little boy and a hopeless romantic.
—Tim Greiving, HollywoodReporter, 20 Dec. 2025
The whole process of dating as a famous superstar had Taylor feeling hopeless about love.
—Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 19 Dec. 2025
Children starving, babies crying, and anyone who feels hopeless is not funny at all.
—Maria Bamford, Vulture, 18 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for hopeless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopeless
Adjective
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Torney was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, an incurable blood cancer with recurring tumors that eat away at bone marrow, damaging bones and the immune system.—
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University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have unlocked a potential new treatment to target an incurable form of childhood cancer with the help of a fast-reproducing pest known for swarming kitchen produce.—
Adjective
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The shootout in the finale felt ripped from another (lesser) series, Sarah Catherine Hook’s monologue as Piper, now wanting to wash Thailand off her, just a bit of a pat cheat (and a more cynical White on display).—
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Yes, our political leaders have given some of us reason to be resentful, cynical and even depressed.—
Adjective
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While Houston’s rally wasn’t quite as explosive, the Texans pulled off what once seemed impossible.—
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There are great catches and there are impossible catches.—
Adjective
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What begins as an energetic adventure spirals into a deadly confrontation with a menacing crocodile, transforming their content creation mission into a desperate fight for survival.—
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Trump is desperate to take Greenland.—
Adjective
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Some of Tarr’s most memorable scenes feature landscapes, often bleak and despairing settings of decaying Hungarian towns, punctuated with close-ups of characters’ faces.—
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In the current political climate, the girl is despairing.—
Adjective
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In Democratic cities, people demand 38 meetings and three dozen environmental assessments before tearing down a crack den to build a nursery for sad orphans.—
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Although there are infinitely many happy numbers there are also infinitely many sad ones.—
Adjective
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The modest pace of hiring, alongside a series of high-profile layoff announcements from major companies, helps explain why consumers remain pessimistic about the labor market.—
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Only voters in Virginia saw their state’s economy as excellent or good, while those in California, New York City and New Jersey took a more pessimistic view.—
Adjective
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This is a no-win situation because one of us will end up unhappy.—
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The automaker spent much of the year undoing decisions made by the previous CEO, Carlos Tavares, who resigned at the end of 2024, as stakeholders in the company — from dealers to union rank and file — were upset with him and unhappy with his leadership.—
Cite this Entry
“Hopeless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hopeless. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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