Master confusing words with ease
Hapless vs. Hopeless
Hapless
/ˈhæpləs/Examples:
The hapless sailor struggled against the fierce storm.She consoled the hapless child who lost his kitten.It was a tale of a hapless quest that ended in disaster.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Hopeless
/ˈhəʊpləs/Examples:
The movie left me feeling a bit hopeless about the future.She tried to fix the leak, but it was a hopeless task.Their attempts at making peace seemed rather hopeless.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Remember that hapless is derived from hap which means luck, so it's related to being unlucky or unfortunate.
- Hopeless is built from hope, so it relates to lacking hope or optimism.
- If someone is having a bad day, they are hapless. If they think things will never get better, they are hopeless.
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