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Prepositions after adjectives

Hopeless at vs. hopeless in

Hopeless at is the standard pattern for lacking skill. Hopeless in appears mainly with situations or environments, not abilities.

Quick answer

Hopeless at or hopeless in?

Use hopeless at for skills and activities. Hopeless in is less common and usually describes being ineffective in a situation or environment.

I'm hopeless at maths.
He's hopeless at remembering names.
They felt hopeless in difficult conditions.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
hopeless at + skill

Talking about poor ability

Hopeless at is the normal pattern for abilities and tasks.

She is hopeless at cooking.
2
hopeless at + activity

Describing performance in activities

Use hopeless at with sports, subjects, and practical tasks.

I'm hopeless at tennis.
3
hopeless in + situation

Describing difficulty in a context

Hopeless in usually refers to functioning badly within a situation.

He becomes hopeless in emergencies.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
hopeless at
She's hopeless at directions.
standard for lack of skill
hopeless in
He is hopeless in stressful situations.
used for situations or contexts
hopeless with
I'm hopeless with technology.
common alternative for handling things

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using in for school subjects

At is preferred for abilities and subjects.

✕ I'm hopeless in maths. ✓ I'm hopeless at maths.

Confusing at and with

Both can work, but with often refers to handling objects or people.

✓ She's hopeless with computers.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. He is hopeless ___ spelling.
2. She becomes hopeless ___ high-pressure meetings.
3. I'm hopeless ___ technology.

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Frequently asked questions

Which is more common: hopeless at or hopeless in?

Hopeless at is much more common for abilities and performance.

Can I say hopeless with computers?

Yes. Hopeless with is very natural for handling objects or systems.

Is hopeless in wrong?

No. It can work for situations or environments, but not usually for skills.

halfway-through-between-up-down, to "handmade by" or "handmade in"? "hands-on with" or "hands-on in"? "handy for" or "handy in"? "happy with", "happy about" or "happy for"? hard for, on, at, of or in? harmful to, for, in, by or of? "harmless from" or "harmless to"? harsh on, in, for, with or to? "hateful to", "hateful towards" or "hateful of"? "hazardous to" or "hazardous for"? "head-to-head with" or "head-to-head in"?

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