What is the effect of using an adjective suffix like "-less"?

Using an adjective suffix like "-less" negates the quality of the root word by indicating the absence of something. For instance, when you add "-less" to the noun "hope," it forms the adjective "hopeless," which conveys the idea of being without hope. This demonstrates how the suffix modifies the meaning of the root word by removing a quality that was initially present. Thus, the essence of using "-less" is to communicate that a particular characteristic or quality is lacking, which is why the choice reflecting this negation is the correct answer.

Other options do not apply here: intensifying the meaning would suggest a greater presence of a quality, changing to a noun does not occur with this suffix, and altering a verb form would involve different types of suffixes or changes.