hopeless

comparative more hopeless · superlative most hopeless

1. Without hope; despairing; not expecting anything positive.

   I am a woman, friendless, hopeless.

   1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

   3 more examples

   And he a prince; To marry him is hopeleſſe;

   1613–1614 (date written), John Fletcher, William Shak[e]speare, The Two Noble Kinsmen: […], London: […] Tho[mas] Cotes, for Iohn Waterson; […], published 1634, →OCLC, Act II, scene iii, page 31

   Edward Churchill still attended to his work in a hopeless mechanical manner like a sleep-walker who walks safely on a well-known round. But his Roman collar galled him, his cossack stifled him, his biretta was as uncomfortable as a merry-andrew's cap and bells.

   1918, W[illiam] B[abington] Maxwell, chapter XV, in The Mirror and the Lamp, Indianapolis, Ind.: The Bobbs-Merrill Company, →OCLC

   A gaoler struck him, pushing him back in place in the hopeless, helpless line of prisoners.

   1966, James Workman, The Mad Emperor, Melbourne, Sydney: Scripts, page 41

2. Giving no ground of hope; promising nothing desirable; desperate.

   My mind is a camera / Camela mon camela ambra / It brings into focus / The dreams of kings / And even the hopeless

   1970, The Friends of Distinction, “My Mind Is a Camera”, in Real Friends

3. Without talent, not skilled.

   He's a hopeless writer, but can draw very well.

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   " It is a pure waste of time." "Not at all," Malone answered. "It has ventilated an evil. There were reporters in court. Surely some of them have some sense. They will note the injustice." "Not they," said Mailey. "The Press is hopeless. My God, what a responsibility these people take on themselves, and how little they guess the price that each will pay! I know."

   1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019

4. figurativelyOf an adverse condition, incurable.

   He is a hopeless idler.

   1 more example

   She is a hopeless romantic.