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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 Todd took a hopeless situation of endless online applications and transformed it into one of the best decisions of his life. Big Think, 1 Apr. 2025 Request a Demo Todd took a hopeless situation of endless online applications and transformed it into one of the best decisions of his life. Big Think, 1 Apr. 2025 Democracy in the United States faces a serious threat, but the case is not hopeless. Laura Gamboa, Foreign Affairs, 31 Mar. 2025 Like the single mother of three who was lying in bed, hopeless and on the verge of suicide. Rosa Flores, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hopeless
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopeless
Adjective
  • Garden roses can also pick up the incurable rose rosette disease from wild-growing multiflora roses—an invasive rose with five-petaled, white flowers.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 2025
  • Her uncle was diagnosed with an incurable cancer, though he's been able to manage it by overhauling his diet in conjunction with regular chemotherapy rounds.
    Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Beyond that, Acheampong’s rapid rise and equally precipitous fall in the first two weeks of January lent itself to the more cynical notion that Maresca might have wanted to send a message to Chelsea about the need for defensive reinforcements in the winter market.
    Liam Twomey, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Perhaps most perplexing about Smash, though, is its weirdly cynical, ungenerous take on the Bombshell herself.
    Greg Evans, Deadline, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • That’s mathematically impossible, the Congressional Budget Office says, without cutting Medicaid, which provides health coverage to more than 70 million people.
    Mike Lillis, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Jokić nearly broke the all-time mark for Player Efficiency Rating (PER), whatever that is, and completed the seemingly impossible feat of averaging a triple-double while playing center.
    John Hollinger, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Escape As terror swept through the city, thousands of desperate Alawites fled.
    Christina Goldbaum, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
  • The quiet city of Medford, Oregon was shaken by Maggie Friar's desperate 911 call in the early morning hours of Oct. 2, 2017.
    Natalie Morales, Richard Fetzer, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • By turns giddy, anxious, and despairing, these poems have endeared him to generations of ordinary readers who find in the tempestuous and ultimately brokenhearted poet a strikingly modern and profoundly accessible figure.
    Daniel Mendelsohn, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
  • When a betrayal comes — and there are many in this tender but despairing film — the horror becomes unbearable, for Lucia and, almost, for the viewer, straight through to a horrific ending.
    Erik Piepenburg, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Kwong grew up hearing stories of every kind about Manzanar—scary, sad, funny and infuriating.
    Rachel Ng, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Yet, whatever the deal means for Paul, Weiss, its acquiescence to Trump marks a sad day for the legal profession—or what once was a profession, and is now just another business.
    Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • What causes bear markets? Bear markets tend to happen when investors are feeling particularly pessimistic about the future of the economy.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Even the most Maga-loving people in my world are getting a bit pessimistic.
    David Rae, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Despite his close relationship with Trump, Elon Musk is unhappy about tariffs, which stand to hurt the business empire of the world’s richest man.
    Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • There have even been reports of police being called to deal with the rowdy behavior, not to mention some theater employees who are unhappy about the cleanup required.
    Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 8 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

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