can't win

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despairing adj.
desperate adj.

ADJECTIVE

despairing

Synonyms

STRONGEST

grief-stricken melancholic melancholy pessimistic suicidal

STRONG

blue dejected depressed oppressed sunk

WEAK

anxious at end of one's rope brokenhearted cynical desperate disconsolate downcast forlorn frantic hopeless in pain in the dumps in the pits in the soup inconsolable miserable no-win not a prayer sad shot down strabilious weighed down wretched

Antonyms

STRONG

cheerful encouraged happy joyous

WEAK

confident expectant hopeful

ADJECTIVE

desperate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

despondent forlorn futile sad vain

STRONG

downcast goner

WEAK

at end of one's rope back to the wall dead duck despairing desponding gone hard up in the soup in the toilet inconsolable irrecoverable irremediable irretrievable no chance no-win running out of time sunk up against it up the creek useless wretched

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cheerful happy hopeful joyful

WEAK

calm confident content contented satisfactory satisfied secure unworried

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

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can't win

"You can't win a game like that and fall off."

From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2026

The story takes a surprising, bittersweet turn, and Ms. Hepola realizes she’s in a contest she can’t win.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 5, 2026

A true statement and a matter of fact: The Dodgers can’t win in two, but they’re not shy about expecting to win.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2026

It would be foolish to say Susan Collins can’t win again.

From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026

“He knows he can’t win against Bobby Kennedy.”

From "The Wednesday Wars" by Gary D. Schmidt

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