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hopeless

adj.
US //ˈhoʊpɫəs// UK //hˈəʊpləs// hope·less
  1. 1 feeling no hope (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    feeling that nothing good will happen and that a situation is impossible to change.

    despairing or devoid of expectation; used to describe a person's internal emotional state regarding the future.

    Example

    After weeks of bad news, he felt hopeless about finding a new job.

    Example

    The refugees felt increasingly hopeless as the winter approached and the peace negotiations showed no signs of progress.
  2. 2 impossible to solve (adj.)
    B1 Intermediate

    describing a situation that is so bad it cannot be fixed or improved.

    providing no grounds for hope or improvement; describing an objective situation that is beyond remedy.

    Example

    The car was in such a bad accident that the mechanics said it was a hopeless case.

    Example

    The legal team eventually conceded that their appeal was a hopeless cause given the overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution.
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  1. 3 not skilled (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    very bad at doing something; having no talent for a specific task.

    completely lacking in skill or aptitude for a particular activity. Often used with the preposition 'at'.

    Example

    I am hopeless at cooking, so I usually just order pizza.

    Example

    Despite his passion for the sport, he admitted he was hopeless at tennis and could rarely hit the ball over the net.

    Usage

    Usually followed by the preposition 'at' and a noun or gerund.
Origin

From hope + -less, compare Swedish hopplös.

Word family

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