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Synonyms

hapless

American  
[hap-lis] / ˈhæp lɪs /

adjective

  1. unlucky; luckless; unfortunate.

    Synonyms:
    pitiable, pathetic, forlorn, wretched, woebegone, miserable, miserable
hapless British  
/ ˈhæplɪs /

adjective

  1. unfortunate; wretched

"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

Other Word Forms

  • haplessly adverb
  • haplessness noun

Etymology

Origin of hapless

First recorded in 1560–70; hap 1 + -less

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.

It’s a faithful facsimile—with a singular ingredient absent: the soulful performance of Al Pacino in the central role of the hapless bank robber Sonny.

From The Wall Street Journal

Sam is hapless and downwardly mobile, yet he’s as likable as a shy puppy.

From The Wall Street Journal

Yet, these supposedly most-promising stars are mostly hapless wannabes leaning on their skills in nunchucks and mime.

From Los Angeles Times

It was an oval basket, woven with an interior funnel into which a hapless river prawn had swum.

From Literature

A week later they were dominant in going 21-0 ahead against Argentina and then hapless in conceding 33 points in the second half and losing.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.