Hopeless (Adjective)
Meaning 1
Of a person unable to do something skillfully; "I'm hopeless at mathematics".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- I'm hopeless at singing, I can barely carry a tune.
- She's hopeless at cooking, everything she makes tastes terrible.
- He's hopeless at sports, he trips over his own feet.
- I'm hopeless at public speaking, I get nervous and stutter.
- My brother is hopeless at fixing cars, he always makes things worse.
Related Words
Meaning 2
(informal to emphasize how bad it is) beyond hope of management or reform; "she handed me a hopeless jumble of papers"; "he is a hopeless romantic".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The new employee was a hopeless case, constantly making mistakes and showing no signs of improvement.
- The city's traffic congestion is a hopeless mess, with no clear solution in sight.
- He's a hopeless optimist, always expecting the best even in the worst situations.
- The team's chances of winning the championship are hopeless, they're already out of the running.
- The politician's reputation is hopeless, ruined by years of scandal and corruption.
Meaning 4
Without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success; "in an agony of hopeless grief"; "with a hopeless sigh he sat down".
Classification
All adjective clusters.
Examples
- The patient's family was left feeling hopeless as the doctor delivered the devastating news that there was no cure for the disease.
- The homeless man wandered the streets, his eyes filled with a hopeless despair that seemed to have consumed his entire being.
- After months of searching for a job, she felt hopeless and wondered if she would ever find employment again.
- The team's coach looked on with a hopeless expression as his players struggled to make a comeback in the final minutes of the game.
- The refugees huddled together in the crowded camp, their faces etched with hopeless resignation as they waited for a chance to rebuild their lives.