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Hapless: meaning, definitions and examples

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hapless

 

[ ˈhapləs ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

unfortunate

Deserving or inciting pity. Marked by unfortunate fate. Unlucky, luckless, unfortunate, ill-starred, ill-fated, ill-omened, cursed, wretched, miserable.

Synonyms

ill-fated, ill-omened, ill-starred, unfortunate, unlucky.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
hapless

Used to describe someone who is unlucky and suffering in a way that evokes sympathy.

  • The hapless traveler lost his wallet and missed his flight.
  • She pitied the hapless orphan.
unlucky

Describes a person or situation frequently experiencing or characterized by bad luck.

  • He was unlucky in finding a parking spot.
  • She's always unlucky; she lost her keys again.
unfortunate

Describes someone who has been affected by bad luck, often in an empathetic way.

  • His unfortunate cousin got into an accident.
  • It's unfortunate that the picnic was rained out.
ill-starred

Used when something or someone is plagued with bad luck or destined for misfortune.

  • The ill-starred ship sank in the storm.
  • Their ill-starred business venture quickly went bankrupt.
ill-fated

Refers to a person or event destined to fail or meet a disastrous end.

  • Their ill-fated expedition ended in tragedy.
  • The ill-fated love affair left both of them heartbroken.
ill-omened

Describes something that is seen as a bad sign or harbinger of bad luck.

  • The ill-omened crow cawed ominously from the tree.
  • An ill-omened silence fell over the room.

Examples of usage

  • She always had a hapless expression on her face.
  • The hapless victims of the disaster were left homeless and destitute.
  • The hapless hero met a tragic end in the story.
  • The hapless team lost yet another game.
  • Despite their best efforts, the hapless situation seemed to only worsen.

Translations

Translations of the word "hapless" in other languages:

🇵🇹 desafortunado

🇮🇳 दुर्भाग्यशाली

🇩🇪 unglücklich

🇮🇩 malang

🇺🇦 невдачливий

🇵🇱 nieszczęśliwy

🇯🇵 不幸な (ふこうな)

🇫🇷 malheureux

🇪🇸 desafortunado

🇹🇷 talihsiz

🇰🇷 불운한

🇸🇦 تعيس

🇨🇿 nešťastný

🇸🇰 nešťastný

🇨🇳 不幸的 (bùxìng de)

🇸🇮 nesrečen

🇮🇸 óheppinn

🇰🇿 бақытсыз

🇬🇪 უბედური

🇦🇿 bədbəxt

🇲🇽 desafortunado

Etymology

The word 'hapless' originated from the Old English word 'hæp', meaning luck or chance. Over time, it evolved to 'hapless' to describe someone who is unlucky or unfortunate. The term has been used in English literature for centuries to depict characters who face constant misfortune or tragedy.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #18,830, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.