as in unfortunate
having, prone to, or marked by bad luck
the hapless motorist had barely paid his bill and driven away from the body shop when a truck sideswiped his car
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Recent Examples of hapless
The show, which reified a kind of hapless, single-girl London life, while foregrounding larger themes of grief and family, was funny, dark, and unique to Waller-Bridge’s vision of the world.
—
Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2025
Vaughn Hardenberg Westwood Not a competitive rivalry After their hapless performance in their recent loss to the Clippers, the Lakers’ record against their crosstown rivals for the last five seasons is 3-13.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2025
Here's a reason to root for each team: One of the game's best (and most likable) stars has dazzled in Philadelphia
For the first six years of his career, the running back Saquon Barkley toiled away for the hapless New York Giants.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 25 Jan. 2025
Not just because of the hapless Toronto hockey team.
—Carol Besler, Robb Report, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hapless 
Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2025
Vaughn Hardenberg Westwood Not a competitive rivalry After their hapless performance in their recent loss to the Clippers, the Lakers’ record against their crosstown rivals for the last five seasons is 3-13.
—Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2025
Here's a reason to root for each team: One of the game's best (and most likable) stars has dazzled in Philadelphia
For the first six years of his career, the running back Saquon Barkley toiled away for the hapless New York Giants.
—Becky Sullivan, NPR, 25 Jan. 2025
Not just because of the hapless Toronto hockey team.
—Carol Besler, Robb Report, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for hapless
Thesaurus Entries Near hapless
Cite this Entry
“Hapless.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hapless. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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