Meaning of the word "lost cause" in English

What does "lost cause" mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

lost cause

US /lɔst kɔz/
UK /lɒst kɔːz/

Idiom

a person or thing that can no longer be helped or is beyond hope

Example:
Trying to convince him is a lost cause; he never changes his mind.
After several attempts, we realized that fixing the old car was a lost cause.