hopelesshope‧less /ˈhəʊpləs $ ˈhoʊp-/ ●●○ S3 adjective 
We tried to stop the flames from spreading, but we knew it was hopeless. Getting your work published often seems a hopeless task. I kept on struggling forward, even though I knew it was hopeless.2a hopeless situation is so bad that there is no chance of success or improvement: The situation is not as hopeless as it might seem. the millions who live in hopeless poverty3especially British English informal very bad SYN terrible: I’m a hopeless cook.hopeless at (doing) something My brother was always pretty hopeless at ball games.hopeless with I’m hopeless with machinery. I’ve got a hopeless memory. The public transport system was absolutely hopeless.4feeling no hope: I began to feel lonely and hopeless.5used, often humorously, to say that someone’s bad behaviour cannot be changed: Oh, James, you really are a hopeless case (=it seems impossible to change your behaviour)!hopeless romantic/materialist/drunk etc She was a hopeless romantic, always convinced that one day she would meet the man of her dreams.—hopelessness noun [uncountable]
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- ""Please let me go to the party'' Ali begged her mother, but she knew it was hopeless.
- "I do not believe that working to block the movement of cocaine into the US is a hopeless cause," McCaffrey told the panel.
- Although Helga's condition appeared hopeless, her husband refused to give up.
- Doug was hopeless at waiting tables.
- I had this hopeless feeling as I approached the hospital.
- It's hopeless to try to persuade him while he's in this mood. Let's talk to him tomorrow.
- Police now face the hopeless task of trying to find the bombers.
- Remember, it's just when things look hopeless that you sometimes get a lucky break.
- The firemen tried to stop the flames from spreading, but it was hopeless.
- The lawyers must have known their lawsuit was hopeless.
- A hopeless slave like the best of them.
- I pore over the hopeless, resigned faces, the emaciated bodies, the stick-like limbs.
- It is difficult to trace the exact moment at which he decided that the military situation was hopeless.
- Many of us ignore government, assuming that we are too busy to waste our time on such a hopeless cause.
- The first telephoned his employer saying that it was hopeless, because no one wore shoes!
- What had she thought, that their purpose led to another hopeless middle-class trap.
- Why hadn't she realized how hopeless she had become, how she had forgotten everything during those months of pregnancy?
THESAURUS
not likely to have a useful result: · She knew it would be pointless to argue with him.· The meeting was a pointless exercise.
completely pointless because there is no chance at all of being successful: · She shut the door in a futile attempt to keep the smell out.· Their efforts proved futile (=did not have any success).
not useful or effective in any way: · I knew it was useless to try to explain to him what had happened.· The map we had been given was useless.
having no hope of being successful or effective: · It was a hopeless task.· He was jumping up and down in a hopeless attempt to keep warm.
to be not worth the time, money etc that you use because you do not achieve anything: · The whole process was a complete waste of time.· The scheme was a waste of money.
(also dreadful especially British English) very bad: · The journey was terrible – it took six hours.· The food was good but we had terrible service.· It’s such an awful programme! How can you watch it?· He looked dreadful.
very bad and unpleasant – used especially when something has a strong effect on you and you feel shocked, annoyed, or sick: · This soup tastes horrible.· I got a horrible shock when I saw the bill.· a horrible accident· a horrible thing to say to someone
terrible – especially in a way that is shocking. Appalling is stronger and a little more formal than terrible or horrible: · The refugees are living in appalling conditions.· The teacher said my handwriting was appalling.
terrible – used about a taste, smell, habit etc, often one that makes you feel sick: · The smell was disgusting and I had to go out.· Do you have to bite your nails? It’s a disgusting habit.
informal terrible – used especially to express annoyance: · I’ve had a lousy day at the office.· This area is a lousy place to live.
very bad and difficult – used when there is no chance of success or improvement: · We were trying to pay off our debts but it was a hopeless situation.· He was given the almost hopeless task of trying to negotiate a ceasefire.
British English extremely bad – used to express great disapproval of an action or event: · The prices are diabolical.· a diabolical waste of money· McAndrew gave a diabolical performance on Saturday.
Longman Language Activatorvery bad at doing something also useless British very bad at doing something, or doing something very badly: · Poor Daniel. He loves football but he's a terrible player.· She'll never pass the exam -- she's an awful student.· Make sure you bring a map -- Erin has a hopeless sense of direction.terrible/awful/hopeless at: · My brother's a computer genius but he's useless at everything else.terrible/awful/hopeless at doing something: · The manager made John a barman as he was obviously hopeless at waiting on tables.
especially spoken very bad at doing something: · I'm such a lousy cook that I usually eat out.lousy at: · I was lousy at biology in school.
use this about someone who is so bad at doing something that you have no respect for them: · She's clever, but as a teacher she's pathetic.· I can't believe we wasted our money on that pathetic comedian last night.
use this about someone who cannot do their job at all and should not be doing it: · This government is totally incompetent.· Legislators are planning a new bill that will protect patients from incompetent doctors.
informal to be very bad at something even though you would like to be able to do it properly: can't draw/paint/cook/act etc to save your life: · Adrian can't draw to save his life.· You don't expect me to take part in the play, do you? I can't act to save my life.· The truth is I couldn't write poetry to save my life.
when there is no hope of improvement or success · The firemen tried to stop the flames from spreading, but it was hopeless.· Remember, it's just when things look hopeless that you sometimes get a lucky break.
so bad that, unless you get help immediately, there is no hope: · The situation is desperate -- there are just not enough beds in the hospital.· Another two weeks without emergency aid and I'd think things could become quite desperate.
a gloomy situation is one in which there is very little hope of improvement: · This latest survey presents a gloomy picture of the Russian economy.· Evidence that the world's population is increasing faster than ever implies a gloomy prospect for humanity: starvation.
a bleak situation is one in which there is very little hope of improvement and will probably get worse: · His prospects of finding another job are bleak.· The future looked bleak for the Democratic party.
say this when a situation is so bad that it is useless to hope that it will improve: · The doctor has said there's no hope. She only has a few weeks to live.there is no hope of: · The prison was on a small, rocky island. There was no hope of escape.there is no hope for: · I'm afraid there's no hope for us, unless you can give us the help we need.
a feeling that it is useless to hope · After a few weeks, our confidence that our embassy had heard of our plight gave way to hopelessness.hopelessness of · Suddenly he saw the utter futility and hopelessness of his mission.sense of hopelessness · Who can really imagine the sense of hopelessness felt by people who commit suicide?
an extremely unhappy feeling you have when your situation is so bad that you have stopped hoping: · Separation from someone you love can bring loneliness and despair.· He gazed at the confusion around him and was overwhelmed by a feeling of despair.be in despair: · Dan was in despair. Everything seemed to be going wrong.
when something cannot be done something that is impossible cannot be done: · We're supposed to do all this work by tomorrow, but it's impossible.· It's a seemingly impossible task.it is impossible (for somebody/something) to do something: · The twins are so alike that it's impossible to tell them apart.· The street was narrow and it was impossible for the two buses to pass.make it impossible: · Her back injury has made it impossible for her to play tennis anymore.find it impossible (=discover that you cannot do something): · When people leave prison, they often find it impossible to get a job.
impossible or extremely difficult to do: · We can't buy a new computer for every student - it's just not possible.it is not possible (for somebody/something) to do something: · It is not possible, in a book of this size, to cover every aspect of the subject.· She's in a meeting, so I'm afraid it's not possible for you to see her now.
especially spoken say this when you strongly believe that something is impossible: there's no way (that): · There's no way we can get to the airport in less than an hour.there's no way of knowing something: · There's no way of knowing when the volcano will erupt again.
an idea, suggestion, or action that is impractical is not really possible because it would cost far too much money, waste too much time, be much too difficult etc: · Officials stated that building a dam for irrigation purposes was hopelessly impractical.· Telling people to avoid any exposure to the sun is impractical advice.it is impractical to do something: · It would be impractical to attempt to review all the types of multimedia technology in this study.
if an idea or suggestion is out of the question , it is completely impossible or it cannot be allowed: · I'd love to come with you, but with all the work I have to do it's out of the question.· The cost would be over $5000, which is quite out of the question.it's out of the question for somebody (to do something): · I'm afraid it's out of the question for you to go alone.
especially spoken use this in order to emphasize that you think something is impossible: · You know we can't possibly pay as much as that in rent.· That was delicious but I couldn't possibly eat another thing!
if something that you try to do is hopeless , there is no possibility of it being successful: · Police now face the hopeless task of trying to find the bombers.it is hopeless: · "Please let me go to the party'' Ali begged her mother, but she knew it was hopeless.it is hopeless to do something: · It's hopeless to try to persuade him while he's in this mood. Let's talk to him tomorrow.a hopeless cause (=something that cannot possibly succeed): · "I do not believe that working to block the movement of cocaine into the US is a hopeless cause," McCaffrey told the panel.
informal to not have any chance of doing what you want, for example because it is much too difficult, someone else will do it first etc: · Everyone in the town votes Republican. The Democrats don't stand a chance.· There's no point in me applying for the job. I wouldn't have a hope.not stand a chance of doing something: · "The driver of the train didn't stand a chance of stopping in time," a Railtrack spokesman said.not have a hope/have no hope of doing something: · The bank said that it will no longer lend to enterprises that have no hope of making a profit.
something that is impossible to do: · At first they thought that building a bridge across to the island was an impossibility.· The equal division of all roles is a practical impossibility for many parents.· I was suddenly struck by the impossibility of achieving our aims.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY Getting your work published often seems a hopeless task. I kept on struggling forward, even though I knew it was hopeless. Oh, James, you really are a hopeless case (=it seems impossible to change your behaviour)! She was a hopeless romantic, always convinced that one day she would meet the man of her dreams.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
Getting your work published often seems a hopeless task. I kept on struggling forward, even though I knew it was hopeless. Oh, James, you really are a hopeless case (=it seems impossible to change your behaviour)! She was a hopeless romantic, always convinced that one day she would meet the man of her dreams.· The situation is not as hopeless as it might seem.· Einstein would probably have been as hopeless as anybody in working out how to catch a woolly rhinoceros.· Pickles is as hopeless as ever!· They portrayed the family as hopeless, without possibility of improvement, and wanted the children kept in care.· Surprisingly, this task may not be as hopeless as it seems.
· When she looked at poor little Hoomey, she was filled with pity for him being so hopeless.
NOUN· If Lee didn't know if his Dad was his Dad or not, he must be a hopeless case.
· Although you are in a seemingly hopeless situation, keep thinking and get your priorities right.· It kept me occupied in otherwise hopeless situations.· The hour of acute awareness was running out into the usual hopeless analysis of a hopeless situation, the usual emotional slush.· For a writer it's a hopeless situation.
· It was a hopeless task to identify David among so many people.· It was a hopeless task, we were slowly sinking in the mire.· Nevertheless, he set about the seemingly hopeless task of making a bankrupt Command a going concern.· Then he turned and began the hopeless task of chasing his shoe as it flew back and to above his head.· A few have become internationally known, but it often seems a hopeless task.
WORD FAMILYnounhopehopefulness ≠ hopelessnesshopefuladjectivehopeful ≠ hopelessverbhopeadverbhopefully ≠ hopelessly
1if something that you try to do is hopeless, there is no possibility of it being successful: We tried to stop the flames from spreading, but we knew it was hopeless. Getting your work published often seems a hopeless task. I kept on struggling forward, even though I knew it was hopeless.2a hopeless situation is so bad that there is no chance of success or improvement: The situation is not as hopeless as it might seem. the millions who live in hopeless poverty3especially British English informal very bad SYN terrible: I’m a hopeless cook.hopeless at (doing) something My brother was always pretty hopeless at ball games.hopeless with I’m hopeless with machinery. I’ve got a hopeless memory. The public transport system was absolutely hopeless.4feeling no hope: I began to feel lonely and hopeless.5used, often humorously, to say that someone’s bad behaviour cannot be changed: Oh, James, you really are a hopeless case (=it seems impossible to change your behaviour)!hopeless romantic/materialist/drunk etc She was a hopeless romantic, always convinced that one day she would meet the man of her dreams.—hopelessness noun [uncountable]