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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Kay seems to be more of a relentless romantic than a hopeless one.
—
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2026
The Swiss Eugen Bleuler, a follower of Kraepelin, replaced the term dementia praecox, which implied hopeless deterioration, with the softer term schizophrenia.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Sean McIndoe scrounged up three positive thoughts for 16 hopeless teams.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
With an emotional reaction that was joyful, not hopeless.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hopeless
Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2026
The Swiss Eugen Bleuler, a follower of Kraepelin, replaced the term dementia praecox, which implied hopeless deterioration, with the softer term schizophrenia.
—Literary Hub, 28 Apr. 2026
Sean McIndoe scrounged up three positive thoughts for 16 hopeless teams.
—Chris Branch, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
With an emotional reaction that was joyful, not hopeless.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hopeless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopeless
Adjective
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Patients with incurable or irreversible conditions are now also exempt from annual certification requirements.—
Dario Sabaghi,
Forbes.com,
16 May 2026
-
According to Cotromano, the doctor overseeing her testing was not fully versed in the severity of Huntington's disease and lacked the bedside manner needed to deliver news about an incurable diagnosis.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Governor Gavin Newsom's office defended the framework, calling protests against Hernandez a cynical attempt to weaponize the debate.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
19 May 2026
-
In season three, this argument has largely taken a cynical, nihilistic turn.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
The Moon in Taurus moves through your 1st House of Self, making your body, instincts, and personal needs impossible to ignore.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 May 2026
-
With Revolution having revealed something possible for a disease long viewed as impossible, a real race has begun.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Adjective
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Despite desperate attempts to escape in April 1848, every man who participated in the expedition died, marking the worst disaster in the history of British polar exploration, according to London's Royal Museums Greenwich.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
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This page has very mixed feelings about that subsidy, but is not similarly ambivalent about Chicago’s desperate need to get the wheels of development turning again.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Adjective
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Still, Ohm is more despairing and miserable than any of the wretched worms Scott has acted to date.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Apr. 2026
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Irony doesn’t have to be nihilistic or despairing.—
Aaron Matz,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The failure of so many in the political world to speak up displays a sad and growing moral bankruptcy.—
Bobby Zirkin,
Baltimore Sun,
14 May 2026
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Don’t be sad — this is not a farewell forever.—
Denni Hu,
Footwear News,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Gallup’s 2025 poll was the first time the organization found younger Americans to be more pessimistic than people in other countries about job prospects, and that trend looks primed to continue.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
13 May 2026
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More than 60% of the class of 2026 are pessimistic about their career prospects, according to a recent report from Handshake.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
11 May 2026
Adjective
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With the Mets taking a 2-1 lead, Rodón, clearly unhappy, appeared to curse at himself as Austin Wells patted him on the shoulder.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
17 May 2026
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Janet reportedly attended an early private screening of the rough cut of the film and walked away pretty unhappy.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Hopeless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hopeless. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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