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hopelessness

American  
[hohp-lis-nis] / ˈhoʊp lɪs nɪs /

noun

  1. the feeling or condition of having no hope; despair; desperation.

    Among the worst demons of addiction is hopelessness.


Etymology

Origin of hopelessness

First recorded in 1805–10; hopeless ( def. ) + -ness ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

He also devised several measurements that became widely used to assess the symptoms of various mental disorders and the risk of suicide: the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Beck Hopelessness Scale.

From Washington Post • Nov. 3, 2021

Hopelessness helps no one, although that’s often how I feel, too.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 25, 2021

Hope and its doleful twin, Hopelessness, might be thought of as the co-muses of the modern eco-narrative.

From The New Yorker • Oct. 8, 2018

A protest album set to exuberant house and techno beats, "Hopelessness" is as forceful as it is thrilling.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2016

Hopelessness had erased the color and anima- don from Judith’s face, and set her lovely features into a still mask.

From "The Witch of Blackbird Pond" by Elizabeth George Speare