1
2
3
4

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective hopeless differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of hopeless are despairing, desperate, and despondent. While all these words mean "having lost all or nearly all hope," hopeless suggests despair and the cessation of effort or resistance and often implies acceptance or resignation.

the situation of the trapped miners is hopeless

When is despairing a more appropriate choice than hopeless?

The meanings of despairing and hopeless largely overlap; however, despairing suggests the slipping away of all hope and often despondency.

despairing appeals for the return of the kidnapped child

In what contexts can desperate take the place of hopeless?

While the synonyms desperate and hopeless are close in meaning, desperate implies despair that prompts reckless action or violence in the face of defeat or frustration.

one last desperate attempt to turn the tide of battle

When can despondent be used instead of hopeless?

While in some cases nearly identical to hopeless, despondent implies a deep dejection arising from a conviction of the uselessness of further effort.

despondent about yet another rejection

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hopeless Miami girds for a season that is officially hopeless, with Baseball Prospectus’ PECOTA ratings giving the Fish a 0.0 chance of making the playoffs from the tough NL East. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2025 Is there a way out of our divided country’s seemingly hopeless predicament? Jackie Strause, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Feb. 2025 People who find themselves in financial trouble sometimes consider taking drastic measures when their situation appears hopeless. Paulette Perhach, New York Times, 23 Feb. 2025 The doctrine lost all legitimacy through its dependence on American global power and the hopeless contradictions this has entailed. Anatol Lieven, Harper's Magazine, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hopeless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopeless
Adjective
  • Its lead drug candidate, a potential drug for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable lung disease, has shown positive results in a mid-stage human trial in the U.S., the company said in November.
    Zinnia Lee, Forbes, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The affliction is incurable, but Kevin treated his audience to detailed accountings of his treatments and of the status of his health, often with good humor, after he was first diagnosed in 2014.
    Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Some who do have a cynical view — asking what good was it for people to risk that bridge crossing for Black freedom when young Black people are killing one another in Selma today?
    Marisa Peñaloza, NPR, 9 Mar. 2025
  • The cynical, trend-chasing marketing executive Maya (Kathryn Hahn, playing refreshingly against type) makes Matt look principled by contrast.
    Judy Berman, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Given his excellent contact and batted ball profile, a .254 AVG is at his low-end, and .300 is hardly impossible.
    Jake Ciely, The Athletic, 10 Mar. 2025
  • What's next: President Trump recently asked Congress to better fund his deportation and border security goals, which will be nearly impossible to achieve without more money, as Axios' Brittany Gibson and Russell Contreras report.
    Alex Fitzpatrick, Axios, 10 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The New England Patriots are in desperate need of playmakers after focusing mainly on defensive help in free agency.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
  • The Wild will take Friday off and host the desperate St. Louis Blues, who still have playoff hopes, Saturday night.
    Michael Russo, The Athletic, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Reduced to occasionally doing commercials for used cars, and spending most of his days drinking, despairing, and sporadically playing Russian roulette in a retirement home for actors, the curmudgeonly Montana has a death wish that only sheer luck has kept him from fulfilling.
    Joe Leydon, Variety, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Western allies of the United States gathered in Munich this past week, anxious, adrift and despairing in the face of President Trump’s brute display of muscle-flexing on the global stage.
    Mark Landler, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Family members and two of his lawyers say he was diagnosed with severe PTSD, a sad and rapid fall that ended in another explosion of violence.
    Nicholas Williams, New York Daily News, 16 Mar. 2025
  • Some potential sad news from the wild kingdom: the bald eagle couple Jackie and Shadow, who have become online stars, may have lost one of their three eaglets amid a snowstorm.
    Mike Snider, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • If only for the notion that historically pessimistic Mets fans have Soto’s mega contract numbers stuck in their brain.
    Bob Raissman, New York Daily News, 15 Mar. 2025
  • David Wessel, a senior fellow in economic studies at Brookings, is less pessimistic.
    Mark Davis, Newsweek, 15 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Rather than panic, consider that software developers are pretty unhappy with the status quo.
    Steve Rodda, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
  • Recent polling also suggests that Americans are relatively unhappy with DOGE’s efforts.
    Filip Timotija, The Hill, 15 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hopeless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hopeless. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on hopeless

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!