How Do You Spell HOPELESS?

Pronunciation: [hˈə͡ʊpləs] (IPA)

The spelling of the word "hopeless" can be explained by the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The pronunciation is /ˈhoʊpləs/, with the stress on the first syllable. The "h" at the beginning is silent while the "o" is pronounced as "oh". The "p" is followed by an unvoiced "l" sound, which is represented by the "plosive" symbol. The "e" is pronounced as a soft "uh" sound and the "s" at the end is pronounced with a hissing sound. The word "hopeless" is often used to describe a situation that has no chance of getting better.

HOPELESS Meaning and Definition

1. Hopeless is an adjective that refers to a state of utter despair or lacking any possibility of improvement or success. It describes a situation or a person as beyond help or redemption, with little or no expectation for a positive outcome. The term conveys a deep sense of desolation, often leading to a loss of faith, optimism, or motivation.

   When applied to a person, hopeless suggests a feeling of being defeated or trapped in a seemingly insoluble problem. It implies a complete absence of confidence and belief in the individual's ability to change or overcome the circumstances they find themselves in. This lack of hope can stem from enduring a continuous string of failures, persistent setbacks, or a chronic sense of futility.

   Hopeless situations often arise when multiple attempts at resolving an issue have proven unsuccessful, leading one to believe that there are no conceivable alternatives or remedies left. This sense of hopelessness can be experienced in a variety of contexts, including personal relationships, career endeavors, or in dealing with health challenges.

   However, it is important to note that "hopeless" doesn't necessarily imply impossibility in an absolute sense. It merely suggests the absence of a reasonable expectation or a significant degree of difficulty in achieving a desired outcome. In some cases, hopelessness may serve as a catalyst for seeking alternative approaches, solutions, or support systems to effectively address the situation.

2. Without hope; being without pleasing expectation; despairing.

   Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for HOPELESS *

• hopless 98.9247311%
• hopelees 1.0752688%

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for HOPELESS

• heopless
• hopelessy
• hopelss
• hopeness
• homelees
• hopeles
• hepless
• hopleness
• hopelesly
• hoemless
• hoeless
• helpeless
• pipeless
• hopeleness
• hoteles
• happless
• populess
• hopelesss
• hoepeless
• hapeless
• haveless
• Hyreless
• Hyveless
• hoperss
• doreless
• nopaless
• Rofeless
• joleless
• Hayzeless
• Fokeless
• Hoplese
• houpeless
• Houdless
• Howdless

Etymology of HOPELESS

The word "hopeless" is derived from the combination of two words: "hope" and "-less".

The term "hope" traces back to the Old English word "hopa", which means "confidence, trust, expectation". It has roots in Proto-Germanic, where "hop-" represented an eager desire or longing. This verb form gave rise to the noun form "hope".

The suffix "-less" is added to words to indicate the absence or lack of something. In the case of "hopeless", it indicates the absence or lack of hope.

Therefore, the word "hopeless" originated from the Old English "hopa" meaning "confidence" and the suffix "-less" denoting the absence of hope, resulting in the modern meaning of having no possibility or expectation of success, improvement, or fulfillment.

Idioms with the word HOPELESS

• hopeless at The idiom "hopeless at" typically refers to someone who lacks skill, talent, or ability in a particular area or activity. It implies that the person is unable to perform or succeed in that specific task.

Similar spelling words for HOPELESS

• homeless,
• shapeless,
• hopelessly.