lost cause

lɒst kɔːz

Definition

Definition of lost cause - Reverso English Dictionary

Noun

hopelessnessperson or thing that is hopeless or futile

Trying to fix that old car is a lost cause.

hopeless case

failuredefeated cause or one where defeat is inevitable

The rebellion was considered a lost cause from the start.

hopeless case

Add a suggestion |

Feedback:

Expressions with lost

be lost

not know where you are or how to get somewhere

I be lost in the city at night.

get lost

lose one's way while traveling

We took a wrong turn and got lost.

lost sheep

person who is lost or confused

He felt like a lost sheep in the new city.

lost generation

people feeling disconnected from society

Many young people today feel like a lost generation.

be lost without

feel unable to manage if missing someone or something important

I would be lost without my phone.

get lost in a crowd

become unnoticeable among many people

She tends to get lost in a crowd at parties.

Expressions with cause

cause célèbre

issue arousing widespread public debate

The trial became a cause célèbre in the media.

cause a fuss

create a disturbance or commotion about something

She caused a fuss at the restaurant over her order.

cause a stir

make people excited, upset, or talk a lot about something

The new policy will cause a stir in the city.

cause a big stir

create excitement or controversy among people

The new policy caused a big stir in the community.

cause a commotion

create a noisy disturbance or uproar

The loud music caused a commotion in the neighborhood.

cause a flutter

make someone feel excited or nervous suddenly

Her smile could cause a flutter in anyone's heart.

cause a scene

create a loud or noticeable disturbance

She didn't want to cause a scene at the restaurant.

cause a sensation

create excitement or interest among people

The new movie caused a sensation worldwide.

champion the cause

support a cause or idea strongly

She championed the cause of environmental protection in her community.

martyr to a cause

someone who suffers or dies for a cause

He became a martyr to a cause, fighting for freedom.

Terms with lost cause included in their meaning

💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.

toast

lost cause

person in a hopeless situation

turn over

sports

cause a ball to be lost to the opposing team

last full measure

sacrifice

person's life lost in service to a cause

Examples of lost cause in a sentence

The project was deemed a lost cause from the start.
Trying to change his mind is a lost cause.
The team's efforts to win were a lost cause.

View all translations of lost cause

✨Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.

French:cause perdue, ...
German:hoffnungsloser Fall, aussichtsloser Fall, ...
Italian:causa persa, battaglia persa, ...
Spanish:causa perdida, ...
Portuguese:causa perdida, luta perdida, ...
Chinese:无望的事, 无望的事业, ...
Japanese:無駄, 失われた原因, ...
Arabic:أمر ميؤوس منه, قَضِيَّة خاسِرَة, ...
Hebrew:מִקְרֶה אָבוּד, מַאֲבָק אָבוּד, ...
Russian:потерянное дело, проигранное дело, ...
Ukrainian:марна справа, програна справа, ...
Hindi:हारी हुई बाज़ी, खोया हुआ कारण, ...
Bengali:নিরাশাজনক ব্যাপার, হারানো কারণ, ...
Catalan:cas perdut, ...
Czech:beznadějný případ, předem prohraná věc, ...
Danish:håbløs sag, dødfødt projekt, ...
Dutch:hopeloze zaak, ...
Greek:χαμένη υπόθεση, ...
Hungarian:reménytelen eset, reménytelen ügy, ...
Khmer:រឿងដែលគ្មានសង្ឃឹម, បុព្វហេតុដែលគ្មានសង្ឃឹមឈ្នះ, ...
Korean:헛된 노력, 희망 없는 일, ...
Persian:کار بیهوده, علت شکست‌خورده, ...
Polish:stracona sprawa, ...
Portuguese (BR):causa perdida, ...
Romanian:cauză pierdută, cauză fără speranță, ...
Swedish:hopplöst fall, förlorad sak, ...
Thai:เรื่องที่หมดหวัง, สาเหตุที่พ่ายแพ้, ...
Turkish:umutsuz vaka, ...
Vietnamese:trường hợp vô vọng, nguyên nhân thất bại, ...

Discover how Reverso redefines the dictionary

Go beyond “simple words”

100,000 expressions & idioms Understand any expression you come across: from corporate jargon like 💬 touch base or ↩️ circle back to everyday expressions such as 🌊 out of the blue or 🦆 lame duck, as well as idioms like 🍲 spill the beans and 🐎 hold your horses.

40,000 images When you search for a concrete noun or object, images help you grasp the meaning at a glance. Try searching for 🧵 puppytooth, 🎠 merry-go-round, ⚜️ fleur-de-lys, or 💤 bunk bed.

Informal language & slang Everyday conversations are packed with informal expressions and slang. Meanings are clearly tagged, so you'll always know when a word is casual. Look up hangry (😋 hungry + 😡 angry), 😎 rizz, 🕹️ noob, or 🔑 low-key.

Abbreviations & acronyms Quickly decode modern abbreviations and acronyms. Go from IDK to OMG in seconds and stay up to date with popular abbreviations such as 🐐 GOAT, 📜 tl;dr, 👀 POV, or 🖥️ AFK.

Regional usage (US / UK) Reverso highlights regional differences between American and British English. You’ll never have to wonder where a word is commonly used: try lift vs. elevator, courgette vs. zucchini, or popular British slang like dodgy or banter. What’s more, when you search for 'color', you’ll immediately see its British counterpart, 'colour'.

Get more than a simple definition

Translations for each meaning View translations alongside each meaning to see how a word is translated in each context. Simply toggle translations ON and choose among 25+ languages. You can also display the translation of definitions or examples into your native language to deepen your understanding.

Synonyms & related words by meaning View synonyms and related words for each meaning, not just for the word as a whole. This helps you choose the most accurate word for your context. Click the

icon to discover related terms: analogies, antonyms, common collocates, words with same roots, umbrella terms… Try with happening or hunch.

Multiple examples for every meaning Each meaning comes with three real-life examples to show you how the word is used in different contexts. Click the

icon next to the first example to see two additional options and learn to use new vocabulary naturally.

Go from understanding to mastery

Save words for later review Click the

icon to save words you want to revisit. You can also save a specific meaning by clicking on the

icon next to it. For example, you might want to save the word “table” as a verb, which means “to postpone”.

Practice with personalized flashcards Reverso automatically transforms your searches and saved words into personalized flashcards and quizzes, featuring high-quality audio and usage examples. This helps you transform terms you only recognize into words you actually use confidently.

Learn with Netflix, YouTube, and your favorite texts With Reverso Chrome extension, transform movies, TV shows, articles, or song lyrics into an interactive lesson. Look up words and expressions in one click on any website and learn with your favorite content.