hapless

[hap-lis]

See more synonyms for hapless on Thesaurus.com

adjective

unlucky; luckless; unfortunate.

Origin of hapless

First recorded in 1560–70; hap¹ + -less

Related formshap·less·ly, adverbhap·less·ness, noun

Can be confusedhapless haply happily

Synonyms

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miserable, woebegone, wretched, forlorn; pathetic, pitiable.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for hapless

Contemporary Examples

It helps that Wendy Davis is a hapless opponent, but as a test proving it can be done, any success is welcomed.
How Old People Will Decide Your Future
Stuart Stevens
October 17, 2014
“At first I was happy to be learning to read,” explains the hapless adult illiterate Office Barbrady in an early episode.
Why Your Kids Must Watch ‘South Park’
Nick Gillespie
September 24, 2014
It becomes a hapless gesture of uninformed social media departments who perceive the potential of engagement without consequences.
Jameis Winston's Inevitable #epicfail
Gideon Resnick
August 11, 2014
With them are thousands of other hapless mall-goers, descending rapidly into deadly anarchy.
The War Inside: Terrorism & Teenhood in ‘No Dawn Without Darkness’
Hugh Ryan
August 3, 2014
Finally, Cleese goose-steps out of the dining room as the hapless Germans cringe and sob.
Life Under Air Strikes: Children Under Fire Will Never Forget — or Forgive
Clive Irving
August 3, 2014

Historical Examples

But Fortune had not yet exhausted her malice against the hapless Athenians.
Stories from Thucydides
H. L. Havell
Hapless as his condition was, he might still pray for mercy, and might possibly find it.
Bunyan
James Anthony Froude
He sprang forward at once towards the hapless boy, dragging the coat with him.
The Fiery Totem
Argyll Saxby
Poor, hapless Bernardine could have cried aloud as she listened.
Jolly Sally Pendleton
Laura Jean Libbey
And could love do so little at its most unfortunate and hapless ending?
Aunt Rachel
David Christie Murray

British Dictionary definitions for hapless

hapless

adjective

unfortunate; wretched

Derived Formshaplessly, adverbhaplessness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for hapless

adj.

"unfortunate," c.1400, from hap (n.) in the sense "good luck" + -less. Related: Haplessly; haplessness.

hapless

Origin of .css-1fxfie5{font-size:22px;}@media (max-width:768px){.css-1fxfie5{font-size:18px;margin:0 10px 10px 0;word-break:break-all;word-wrap:break-word;-webkit-hyphens:auto;-moz-hyphens:auto;-ms-hyphens:auto;hyphens:auto;line-height:22px;}}hapless

Synonyms

Related Words

Examples from the Web for hapless

Contemporary Examples

It helps that Wendy Davis is a hapless opponent, but as a test proving it can be done, any success is welcomed.

“At first I was happy to be learning to read,” explains the hapless adult illiterate Office Barbrady in an early episode.

It becomes a hapless gesture of uninformed social media departments who perceive the potential of engagement without consequences.

With them are thousands of other hapless mall-goers, descending rapidly into deadly anarchy.

Finally, Cleese goose-steps out of the dining room as the hapless Germans cringe and sob.

Historical Examples

But Fortune had not yet exhausted her malice against the hapless Athenians.

Hapless as his condition was, he might still pray for mercy, and might possibly find it.

He sprang forward at once towards the hapless boy, dragging the coat with him.

Poor, hapless Bernardine could have cried aloud as she listened.

And could love do so little at its most unfortunate and hapless ending?

hapless

Word Origin and History for hapless

adj.

Origin of hapless