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| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | incapable, incompetent; vulnerable |
| Synonyms: | abandoned, basket-case, debilitated, defenseless, dependent, destitute, disabled, exposed, feeble, forlorn, forsaken, friendless, handcuffed, impotent, inefficient, inexpert, infirm, invalid, over a barrel, paralyzed, pinned, powerless, prostrate, shiftless, tapped, tapped out, unable, unfit, unprotected, up creek without paddle, weak, with hands tied |
| Antonyms: | able, capable, competent, enterprising, independent, resourceful, skilled, strong |
| Main Entry: | defenseless |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | powerless, vulnerable |
| Synonyms: | caught, endangered, exposed, hands tied, helpless, in line of fire, indefensible, like a clay pigeon, like a sitting duck, naked*, on the line, on the spot, open, out on limb, pigeon, poor, unarmed, unguarded, unprotected, up the creek, weak, wide open |
| Antonyms: | powerful, strong |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | disabled |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | incapacitated |
| Synonyms: | broken-down, confined, decrepit, disarmed, hamstrung, handicapped, helpless, hurt, incapable, infirm, laid-up, lame, maimed, out-of-action, out-of-commission, paralyzed, powerless, run-down, sidelined, stalled, weakened, worn-out, wounded, wrecked |
| Antonyms: | able, healthy |
| Main Entry: | downtrodden |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | afflicted, abused |
| Synonyms: | a slave to, abject, at one's beck and call, at one's feet, at one's mercy, destitute, distressed, exploited, have-not, helpless, in one's clutches, in one's pocket, in one's power, led by the nose, maltreated, mistreated, needy, oppressed, overcome, persecuted, subjugated, subservient, suppressed, tyrannized, under one's thumb, underdog*, underfoot |
| Antonyms: | happy, respected, satisfied |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | feeble |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | not strong; ineffective |
| Synonyms: | aged, ailing, chicken*, debilitated, decrepit, delicate, doddering, dopey, effete, emasculated, enervated, enfeebled, etiolated, exhausted, failing, faint, flabby, flat, fragile, frail, gentle, helpless, impotent, inadequate, incompetent, indecisive, ineffectual, inefficient, infirm, insubstantial, insufficient, lame, languid, low, out of gas, paltry, poor, powerless, puny, sapless, sickly, slight, strengthless, tame, thin, unconvincing, vitiated, weak, weakened, weakly, wimpy, woozy, zero* |
| Antonyms: | able, effective, hardy, healthy, hearty, powerful, solid, sound, strong |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | forlorn |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | hopeless, inconsolable |
| Synonyms: | abandoned, alone, bereft, blue*, cheerless, comfortless, cynical, defenseless, depressed, deserted, desolate, despairing, desperate, despondent, destitute, destroyed, disconsolate, down and out, dragging, forgotten, forsaken, friendless, fruitless, futile, godforsaken, helpless, homeless, in the dumps, lonely, lonesome, lost, miserable, oppressed, pathetic, pessimistic, pitiable, pitiful, solitary, tragic, unhappy, vain, weighed down, woebegone, wretched |
| Notes: | lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship, while lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness; forlorn and desolate are even more isolated and sad |
| Antonyms: | cheerful, comforted, consolable, happy, hopeful, joyful, pleased |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | hopeless |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | futile, pessimistic |
| Synonyms: | bad, beyond recall, cynical, dejected, demoralized, despairing, desperate, despondent, disconsolate, discouraging, downhearted, fatal, forlorn, gone*, goner, helpless, ill-fated, impossible, impracticable, in despair, incurable, irredeemable, irreparable, irreversible, irrevocable, lost, menacing, no-win, past hope, pointless, sad, shot down, sinister, sunk, threatening, tragic, unachievable, unavailing, unfortunate, unmitigable, up the creek, useless, vain, woebegone, worsening |
| Antonyms: | auspicious, bright, encouraging, expectant, hopeful, optimistic, promising, propitious, rosy |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | impotent |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | disabled; unable to perform action |
| Synonyms: | barren, crippled, dud, effete, enervated, enfeebled, feeble, forceless, frail, gutless, helpless, inadequate, incapable, incapacitated, incompetent, ineffective, ineffectual, inept, infecund, infirm, nerveless, paper tiger, paralyzed, powerless, prostrate, sterile, unfruitful, unproductive, weak |
| Antonyms: | able, capable, fertile, potent, productive, strong |
| Main Entry: | incapacitated |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | disabled |
| Synonyms: | bedridden, broken-down, confined, crippled, debilitated, handicapped, helpless, hurt, immobilized, impaired, impotent, incapable, infirm, laid-up, lame, maimed, out of commission, out-of-action, paralyzed, powerless, sidelined, weak, weakened, wornout |
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2013 Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
