English vocabulary · B2
Hapless
/ˈhæp.ləs/ · adj.
It means always unlucky, with bad things happening again and again.
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Example sentences
- He lost his keys, his bag, and his ticket on the same day.
- The hapless traveler missed his flight.
Word origin and roots
from Old Norse
- hap — luck (from Old Norse)
- less — without (from Old Norse)
Synonyms and nuances
- unlucky (chance consistently goes against someone)
- unfortunate (circumstances cause repeated hardship)
- luckless (no good fortune ever seems to arrive)
Words with the same root
hap — luck
- happy — having good hap — fortunate and pleased
- mishap — a piece of bad luck — an unfortunate accident
- haphazard — without planning, left entirely to chance
Lesson notes
Hapless. It means always unlucky, with bad things happening again and again. Nothing goes right for this person.
Similar words are unlucky, unfortunate, and luckless. Use hapless when someone keeps failing through no fault of their own.
He lost his keys, his bag, and his ticket on the same day. The hapless traveler missed his flight.
From Old Norse. Hap means luck. Less means without. No luck at all — that helpless, lost feeling. That is hapless.