lost cause

American  

noun

1. a cause that has been defeated or whose defeat is inevitable.

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lost cause British  

noun

1. a cause with no chance of success

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lost cause Idioms  

1. A hopeless undertaking, as in Trying to get him to quit smoking is a lost cause. In the 1860s this expression was widely used to describe the Confederacy. [Mid-1800s] Also see losing battle.

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Etymology

Origin of lost cause

First recorded in 1860–65

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lost cause

Bleached corals had been largely written off because of their high mortality rate, said Collins -- though the new work instead demonstrates they "really shouldn't be thought of as a lost cause."

From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2026

Ultimately, it’s a lost cause, because his fears are justified.

From Salon ● Sep. 9, 2026

His long-term health isn’t worth risking to save a completely lost cause.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 8, 2026

Eileen McGovern, a member of SOAS, said returning "life-saving" emergency general surgery services to Swah is not a lost cause.

From BBC ● Jan. 14, 2026

She says okay, because she recognizes a lost cause when she sees one.

From "The Misfits" by James Howe

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