sadsack
Perpetually unlucky person
A sadsack is a pathetically ineffectual or perpetually unfortunate person—someone who seems to attract failure and disappointment.
The term carries both pity and mild contempt: He's such a sadsack, can't even get a date to his own birthday party.
Originally military slang for an inept soldier, it now applies to any hapless, downtrodden figure.
One performing below capacity
- failureLack of success
- disappointmentSadness from unmet expectations
- washoutComplete failure or cancellation
- incompetentLacking necessary skill
hapless · unlucky · bungler · schlep · schlemiel · hard-luck · jinxed · luckless
Beyond possibility of success
- despondentDeeply discouraged, hopeless
- forlornSad and abandoned
- crestfallenSad from disappointment
- disheartenedLost confidence or hope
discouraged · woebegone · glum · doleful · melancholy · dispirited · gloomy · sorrowful
Arousing sorrowful contempt
- pitiableDeserving sympathetic sorrow
- sympatheticFeeling others' emotions
- unfortunateDeserving of pity
- wretchedExtremely unhappy or unfortunate
downtrodden · hard-luck · lamentable · heartbreaking · sorry · woeful · tearjerker
underachiever
One performing below capacity
- failureLack of success
- disappointmentSadness from unmet expectations
- washoutComplete failure or cancellation
incompetent · hapless · unlucky · bungler · schlep · schlemiel · hard-luck · jinxed · luckless · also-ran
hopeless
Beyond possibility of success
- despondentDeeply discouraged, hopeless
- forlornSad and abandoned
- crestfallenSad from disappointment
disheartened · discouraged · woebegone · glum · doleful · melancholy · dispirited · gloomy · sorrowful · downcast
pitiful
Arousing sorrowful contempt
- pitiableDeserving sympathetic sorrow
- sympatheticFeeling others' emotions
- unfortunateDeserving of pity
wretched · downtrodden · hard-luck · lamentable · heartbreaking · sorry · woeful · tearjerker
sadsackwinner
One who prevails
go-getter · achiever · success story · hotshot · overachiever
sadsackoptimist
Habitually hopeful person
ray of sunshine · live wire · bright spark · Pollyanna · life of the party