Hapless
adjective
Unlucky and always likely to be in trouble or have problems.
He had the hapless task of telling the boss about the missing reports.
Often appears as...
- hapless victim
- hapless individual
Usage tips
Disapproving
adjective
Unlucky and always likely to be in trouble or have problems.
He had the hapless task of telling the boss about the missing reports.
Often appears as...
- hapless victim
- hapless individual
Usage tips
Disapproving
Definition 1 of 1
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Hapless often implies repeated misfortune, evoking sympathy for the person described.
The hapless sailor was once again struck by a storm.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Intentional
"Hapless" suggests the bad luck is by chance and not the person's fault.
Despite his efforts, he remained a hapless investor.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Impact
Using 'hapless' instead of 'unlucky' emphasizes the emotional impact of constant misfortune.
The hapless poet never saw his words published.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Hapless often implies repeated misfortune, evoking sympathy for the person described.
The hapless sailor was once again struck by a storm.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Intentional
"Hapless" suggests the bad luck is by chance and not the person's fault.
Despite his efforts, he remained a hapless investor.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Impact
Using 'hapless' instead of 'unlucky' emphasizes the emotional impact of constant misfortune.
The hapless poet never saw his words published.
Pro Tip 1/3Negative Connotation
Hapless often implies repeated misfortune, evoking sympathy for the person described.
The hapless sailor was once again struck by a storm.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Intentional
"Hapless" suggests the bad luck is by chance and not the person's fault.
Despite his efforts, he remained a hapless investor.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Impact
Using 'hapless' instead of 'unlucky' emphasizes the emotional impact of constant misfortune.
The hapless poet never saw his words published.
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Video examples
Why should you read...
This first scene is indicative of the way the book bounces between the political and personal over an ever-widening canvas. There are no main characters in "War and Peace." Instead, readers enter a vast interlocking web of relationships and questions. Will the hapless and illegitimate son of a count
Video examples
Exploring other...
and even the insides of his friends, which is probably pretty awkward. Once the hapless square comes to terms with the third dimension, he begs his host to help him visit the fourth and higher dimensions, but the sphere bristles at the mere suggestion of dimensions higher than three
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 12 PIPE...
there are some big birds flying they are vultures flying and that means of course that something has died around here now they've just come off the ground I think they're finished picking the hapless carcass oh I promised I would never use the word helpless again the unfortunate
Video examples
Advocating for gender...
of economic autonomy or the shocking rates of maternal mortality or the hapless levels of political representation or i may say the equally hapless levels of women at the peace table virtually that has not improved over the last decade and above all the
Video examples
Andrew Fitzgerald:...
actually, is the very absurdist Crimer Show. Crimer Show tells the story of a supercriminal and a hapless detective that face off in this exceptionally strange lingo, with all of the tropes of a television show. Crimer Show's creator has said that
Video examples
Africa's Great Carbon...
for scaling the latest and most ambitious of climate technologies. Whichever of these narratives most speaks to you, one thing should be clear. We need to shake the old, tired idea that Africa is a poor, hapless, helpless climate change victim.
Video examples
Deadly Ocean Predators:...
diminishing minute by minute the relentless onslaught continues from above with the swooping frigates everywhere the hapless fish turn they're torn to shreds the sardines may be more maneuverable but an explosive bursts at
Video examples
The sneakiest tricksters...
resembling those of the venomous eastern coral snake to benefit from the protective warnings these markings convey. Even some plants use there are orchids that look and smell like female wasps to attract hapless males,
Video examples
Shaffi Mather: A new way...
that leads him to pay a bribe. In the modern day world, where time is premium and battle for subsistence is unimaginably tough, the hapless common man simply gives in and pays the bribe just to get on with life.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 42 PIPE...
I'm sorry my dear right oh that's quite a nice shot actually and there you can see this hapless little topi frame you can see she picks it up with absolutely
Video examples
Why should you read...
This first scene is indicative of the way the book bounces between the political and personal over an ever-widening canvas. There are no main characters in "War and Peace." Instead, readers enter a vast interlocking web of relationships and questions. Will the hapless and illegitimate son of a count
Video examples
Exploring other...
and even the insides of his friends, which is probably pretty awkward. Once the hapless square comes to terms with the third dimension, he begs his host to help him visit the fourth and higher dimensions, but the sphere bristles at the mere suggestion of dimensions higher than three
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 12 PIPE...
there are some big birds flying they are vultures flying and that means of course that something has died around here now they've just come off the ground I think they're finished picking the hapless carcass oh I promised I would never use the word helpless again the unfortunate
Video examples
Advocating for gender...
of economic autonomy or the shocking rates of maternal mortality or the hapless levels of political representation or i may say the equally hapless levels of women at the peace table virtually that has not improved over the last decade and above all the
Video examples
Andrew Fitzgerald:...
actually, is the very absurdist Crimer Show. Crimer Show tells the story of a supercriminal and a hapless detective that face off in this exceptionally strange lingo, with all of the tropes of a television show. Crimer Show's creator has said that
Video examples
Africa's Great Carbon...
for scaling the latest and most ambitious of climate technologies. Whichever of these narratives most speaks to you, one thing should be clear. We need to shake the old, tired idea that Africa is a poor, hapless, helpless climate change victim.
Video examples
Deadly Ocean Predators:...
diminishing minute by minute the relentless onslaught continues from above with the swooping frigates everywhere the hapless fish turn they're torn to shreds the sardines may be more maneuverable but an explosive bursts at
Video examples
The sneakiest tricksters...
resembling those of the venomous eastern coral snake to benefit from the protective warnings these markings convey. Even some plants use there are orchids that look and smell like female wasps to attract hapless males,
Video examples
Shaffi Mather: A new way...
that leads him to pay a bribe. In the modern day world, where time is premium and battle for subsistence is unimaginably tough, the hapless common man simply gives in and pays the bribe just to get on with life.
Video examples
Safari Live - Day 42 PIPE...
I'm sorry my dear right oh that's quite a nice shot actually and there you can see this hapless little topi frame you can see she picks it up with absolutely
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Joy Reid
American Journalist
If politics were a high school movie, Republicans would be the jocks and mean girls locking hapless freshmen inside their lockers and threatening to call in their rich parents if the teachers complain - plus the broke kids who are always willing to strong-arm homework for them from the nerds.
Quote examples
Jan Mark
British Writer
When writers for adults contemplate Venice, they behold decay, dereliction and death. Thomas Mann, Daphne du Maurier, L. P. Hartley and Salley Vickers have all dispatched hapless protagonists to Italy, where they see Venice - and die.
Quote examples
Robert Emms
English Actor
In 'Mirror Mirror,' I played Prince Charming's side kick Renbock, who was pretty dandy, hapless and innocent. Other than that I've tended to play the complete opposite! I've played gritty, hard characters, generally tough people.
Quote examples
Steve Kornacki
They say it doesn't get any more Jersey than 24-hour diners. Of course, they say the same thing about women with big hair, hapless college football teams and governors who tell their wives they're gay on national television.
Quote examples
Shaffi Mather
Indian Businessman
In the modern-day world, where time is premium and battle for subsistence is unimaginably tough, the hapless common man simply gives in and pays the bribe just to get on with life.
Quote examples
Jerry Della Femina
American Businessman
Pictures bring you inside, whether you see yourself driving a new car or as a hapless prisoner who is being abused.
Quote examples
Jonathan Stroud
American Author
Most traditional ghost stories feature rather hapless protagonists, who have nasty things happen to them.
Quote examples
Carroll O'Connor
American Actor
The reviewer is a singularly detested enemy because he is, unlike the hapless artist, invulnerable.
Quote examples
Kate Christensen
American Novelist
In the aftermath of a marriage, you feel helpless and hapless.
Quote examples
Joy Reid
American Journalist
If politics were a high school movie, Republicans would be the jocks and mean girls locking hapless freshmen inside their lockers and threatening to call in their rich parents if the teachers complain - plus the broke kids who are always willing to strong-arm homework for them from the nerds.
Quote examples
Jan Mark
British Writer
When writers for adults contemplate Venice, they behold decay, dereliction and death. Thomas Mann, Daphne du Maurier, L. P. Hartley and Salley Vickers have all dispatched hapless protagonists to Italy, where they see Venice - and die.
Quote examples
Robert Emms
English Actor
In 'Mirror Mirror,' I played Prince Charming's side kick Renbock, who was pretty dandy, hapless and innocent. Other than that I've tended to play the complete opposite! I've played gritty, hard characters, generally tough people.
Quote examples
Steve Kornacki
They say it doesn't get any more Jersey than 24-hour diners. Of course, they say the same thing about women with big hair, hapless college football teams and governors who tell their wives they're gay on national television.
Quote examples
Shaffi Mather
Indian Businessman
In the modern-day world, where time is premium and battle for subsistence is unimaginably tough, the hapless common man simply gives in and pays the bribe just to get on with life.
Quote examples
Jerry Della Femina
American Businessman
Pictures bring you inside, whether you see yourself driving a new car or as a hapless prisoner who is being abused.
Quote examples
Jonathan Stroud
American Author
Most traditional ghost stories feature rather hapless protagonists, who have nasty things happen to them.
Quote examples
Carroll O'Connor
American Actor
The reviewer is a singularly detested enemy because he is, unlike the hapless artist, invulnerable.
Quote examples
Kate Christensen
American Novelist
In the aftermath of a marriage, you feel helpless and hapless.
Example 1 of 9
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