hapless
pronunciation
How to pronounce hapless in British English:
UK [ˈhæpləs]
How to pronounce hapless in American English:
US [ˈhæplɪs]
-
- Adjective:
- deserving or inciting pity
Word Origin
- hapless (adj.)
- "unfortunate, luckless," c. 1400, from hap (n.) in the sense "good luck" + -less. Related: Haplessly; haplessness.
Example
- 1. Congolese soldiers and rebels habitually rape hapless civilians .
- 2. That hapless fish , however , may be caught in deeper political waters .
- 3. He has used his financial advantage to unleash an advertising barrage against these hapless foes .
- 4. The hapless george bush is partly to blame for this : his approval ratings are now sub-nixonian .
- 5. More recently , in the name of conditionality , benefactors have rammed frequently disastrous economic fads down the throats of hapless recipients .