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

When you can’t win on the merits, try a technicality.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

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

From Slate ● Jun. 16, 2026

It may not be great for Meta if Facebook and Instagram can’t win users early, but a blanket ban won’t help Meta’s rivals either, Walmsley said.

From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026

"There's no reason why Hearts can't win the title," he said on Sportscene.

From BBC ● May 15, 2026

Because I can’t win a championship if I’m sitting in this smelly hospital.

From "The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander

can't win

Example Sentences

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