hapless
adjective
unlucky; luckless; unfortunate.
haplessness
-
a word derived from
hapless.
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.
New York went over half a century of misery and haplessness without a title.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
Irritable, neurotic, decent, confused and sardonic, Larry is a refreshing nod to the kind of spiky haplessness Jack Lemmon mastered.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 25, 2025
While that is possible, few have the stomach for another lengthy leadership contest, which would only reinforce the party’s image of haplessness.
From New York Times ● Oct. 15, 2022
He also brings his characters’ haplessness to the fore by portraying them as not-so-happy campers lost in a confusing grown-up world.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 1, 2021
Then I heaped upon my guards the most vehement reproaches, or betook myself to wailings on the haplessness of my condition.
From Wieland: or, the Transformation, an American Tale by Charles Brockden Brown
