hopeless

hopeless at (something)

Not skilled or adept at something. Oh, I hired a maid because I know I'm hopeless at housework. Steve is just hopeless at math—we have help him with his homework every night.
See also: hopeless
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

hopeless at

(doing something) incapable of doing something. Tom is hopeless at cooking. Sally is hopeless at keeping her room clean, and it shows.
See also: hopeless
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
See also:
  • hopeless at
  • hopeless at (something)
  • whistle in the wind
  • it's no use
  • it's no use (doing something)
  • no use, it's
  • there is a remedy for everything except death
  • paint a black picture (of someone or something)
  • be better off dead
  • a losing game
References in classic literature
In a frenzy of despair, I bent to the grandfather of all paddles in a hopeless effort to escape, and still the copper giant behind me gained and gained.
As I looked at that hopeless struggle my eyes met those of the doomed man, and I could have sworn that in his I saw an expression of hopeless appeal.
"I told you it was hopeless, Matt," Scott said in a discouraged voice.
The sharp pain and the feel of hot, trickling blood assured him of the awful reality of his hopeless position.
Count Krivtsov was considered a hopeless case by everyone, and yet he kept two mistresses.
To catch and mount one of these habitually rageful and intractable beasts was no child's play under the best of conditions; but now, when silence and time were such important considerations, it might well have seemed quite hopeless to a less resourceful and optimistic man than the son of the great warlord.
I remained silent as though it were hopeless to raise my voice.
The Little Dorrit, trembling on his arm, was less in unison than ever with Mrs Chivery's theory, and yet was not irreconcilable with a new fancy which sprung up within him, that there might be some one else in the hopeless--newer fancy still--in the hopeless unattainable distance.
At one while my journey looked hopeful, and at another hopeless. Now I thought I should do some good, and now I wondered how I could ever have supposed so.
And others saw, from Helium's lofty landing stages and from a thousand hangars upon a thousand roofs; but only for an instant did the preparations stop that would send other brave men into the frightful maelstrom of that apparently hopeless search, for such is the courage of the warriors of Barsoom.
Standing alone in the world -- alone, as to any dependence on society, and with little Pearl to be guided and protected -- alone, and hopeless of retrieving her position, even had she not scorned to consider it desirable -- she cast away the fragment a broken chain.
The remaining warriors armed themselves for obstinate defence; but showed by their gloomy looks and sullen silence that they considered defence hopeless. To their surprise the Blackfeet refrained from pursuing their advantage; perhaps satisfied with the blood already shed, or disheartened by the loss they had themselves sustained.
At last the impenetrable man felt the influence of the sex; at last he knew the passion of love misplaced, ill-starred, hopeless love, for a woman who was young enough to be his child.
You shall judge for yourself, you poor deluded young creature, whether my son is worthy of the sacrifice--the useless and hopeless sacrifice--which you are bent on making of yourself for his sake.
They are so good to me--I can't do it!" In that hopeless way it had ended during the seven days that had gone by.