Hapless

Pronunciation: /ˈhæpləs/

Definitions of hapless

adjective unlucky or unfortunate

Example Sentences

A1 The hapless puppy got lost in the park.

A2 The hapless tourist couldn't find their way back to the hotel.

B1 The hapless student forgot to bring their textbook to class.

B2 The hapless driver got a flat tire on the highway.

C1 The hapless employee accidentally deleted important files from the server.

C2 The hapless explorer found themselves stranded in the middle of the desert.

Examples of hapless in a Sentence

formal The hapless employee made another mistake in the report.

informal Poor hapless Tim just can't seem to catch a break.

slang That hapless dude is always messing things up.

figurative The hapless sailor was lost at sea with no hope of rescue.

Grammatical Forms of hapless

• past tense: haplessed
• plural: haplesses
• comparative: more hapless
• superlative: most hapless
• present tense: is hapless
• future tense: will be hapless
• perfect tense: has been hapless
• continuous tense: is being hapless
• singular: hapless
• positive degree: hapless
• infinitive: to be hapless
• gerund: being hapless
• participle: haplessing

Origin and Evolution of hapless

First Known Use: 0014 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'hapless' originated from Old English, where 'hap' meant luck or chance, and '-less' denoted lacking or without. It was used to describe someone who was unfortunate or unlucky.

Evolution of the word: Over time, 'hapless' has retained its original meaning of unfortunate or unlucky, but it is now also used more broadly to describe someone who is inept or incompetent in addition to being unlucky.