What does the suffix "-less" indicate?

The suffix "-less" is used to indicate the absence of something or the lack of a particular quality. For example, when it’s added to the word "hope," it forms "hopeless," which means without hope. This linguistic tool helps to convey a sense of emptiness or deficiency regarding the root word it modifies. Thus, when a word ends with "-less," it suggests that whatever characteristic the root word signifies is not present. This is why "without" is the correct interpretation of the suffix "-less."