Phrase guide

lost cause

name · noun · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

name

Meaning 1

The belief that the Confederate cause during the American Civil War was just and not related to slavery.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A person or thing that is hopeless or futile.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • He has already made up his mind, and it's a lost cause to try to change it.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a defeated cause or a cause for which defeat is inevitable

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: campaign, cause, crusade, drive, movement, effort

History

Etymology

From the generic term lost cause. The Confederacy was, of course, defeated.

Across languages

Translations

16 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 徒勞 /徒劳 (túláo) — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • Dutch: verloren zaak — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • Dutch: kansloze zaak — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • Finnish: toivoton tapaus — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • French: peine perdue — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • French: cause perdue — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • Hungarian: veszett ügy — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • Irish: cúis caillte — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • Italian: causa persa — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • Polish: przegrana sprawa — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • Romanian: cauză pierdută — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • Russian: безнадёга (beznadjóga) — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • Russian: безнадёжность (beznadjóžnostʹ) — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • Scottish Gaelic: cùis chaillte — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • Spanish: causa perdida — person or thing that is hopeless or futile
  • Spanish: caso perdido — person or thing that is hopeless or futile