hapless

adjective
UK: /ˈhæpləs/
US: /ˈhæpləs/

  1. Unlucky or unfortunate; experiencing bad luck.

    1. The hapless tourist lost his wallet on the first day of his trip.
    2. Despite his best efforts, the hapless contestant always seemed to choose the wrong answer during the quiz.

  2. Deserving or inciting pity; causing feelings of sadness because of misfortune.

    1. The hapless puppy was abandoned by its mother, and was found by a child.
    2. I felt bad for the hapless protagonist, who was always one step behind his cunning adversary.

Synonyms

unlucky unfortunate ill-fated hapless

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "hapless" in English means: Unlucky or unfortunate; experiencing bad luck., Deserving or inciting pity; causing feelings of sadness because of misfortune..

The phonetic transcription of "hapless" is /ˈhæpləs/ in British English and /ˈhæpləs/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "hapless": unlucky, unfortunate, ill-fated, hapless.

Example usage of "hapless": "The hapless tourist lost his wallet on the first day of his trip.". More examples on the page.