can't win

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.

On opening day, Dodgers chairman Mark Walter told me this: “Here’s what the problem is: Money helps us win. We can’t win all the time. We’ve got to have some parity.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

It’s for this reason that Latifi has concluded that on the internet, women just can’t win.

From Salon • May 10, 2026

"The modern-day players coming through have got to copy this. You can't win playing safe."

From BBC • May 5, 2026

At the same time, they said they are wary of getting involved in a battle they can’t win.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

“I can’t win, ’cause of the shape I’m in.”

From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou

can't win

Example Sentences

Related Words