1
as in desperation
utter loss of hope
the endless drought drove the farmers to despair
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dismay
the state of being discouraged
the other team's temporary lead caused some momentary despair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to grieve
to lose all hope or confidence
we despaired when we saw how little time we had left to complete our project
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of despair
Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
Nebraska is Bruce alone with a four-track recorder whispering his despair into a microphone.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 20 Aug. 2025
There is a pathetic aspect to Serra’s account of Malaparte’s life, a solipsism that despaired of finding anything worthwhile in life other than movement and adventure.
—Book Marks
july 10, Literary Hub, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for despair
Noun
And saving my daughter from a life of drug addiction and despair.
—Manuel Muñoz, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025
Nebraska is Bruce alone with a four-track recorder whispering his despair into a microphone.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
If melted candle wax dripped on your carpet or a favorite sweater, don't despair.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 20 Aug. 2025
There is a pathetic aspect to Serra’s account of Malaparte’s life, a solipsism that despaired of finding anything worthwhile in life other than movement and adventure.
—Book Marks
july 10, Literary Hub, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for despair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despair
Noun
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But before long his hearing begins to disappear, leading him down a panicked trail of denial, anger and desperation.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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The Irish have scored four total touchdowns in the past two games against Elko, which included that desperation run by Audric Estime at Duke two years ago.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The giant streamer, which just had a massive theatrical hit with KPop Demons Hunters, generally shies away from theatrical to the dismay of theater owners.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
18 Sep. 2025
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Moments after it was confirmed that Charlie Kirk died from a gunshot wound during a college event Wednesday in Utah, several Arkansas political leaders went to social media to express their dismay over the conservative activist's death.—
Ella McCarthy,
Arkansas Online,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Cam, who grieves his father throughout the film, allowed Withers to show that even the toughest men in the world have their contemplative moments.—
Andre Gee,
Rolling Stone,
18 Sep. 2025
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The platform formerly known as X and its owner Elon Musk have called for the firing of anyone deemed insufficiently grieving of Kirk.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
18 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Frustration can push us to solve problems, sadness can deepen your appreciation for joy and worry can sometimes sharpen your focus.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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But sadness, anxiety, anger and frustration can be channeled into actions such as becoming involved in activism and volunteering to help the survivors and society at large.—
Arash Javanbakht,
The Conversation,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The gradual combination of these skills helps students avoid most crashes in the long term, leading to less discouragement and frustration.—
Maria Williams,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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So feelings of self-doubt, frustration, and discouragement start to kick in.—
Sho Dewan,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Colorado River and the two reservoirs have been suffering because of a multidecade drought in the West intensified by climate change, rising demand and overuse.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
14 Sep. 2025
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United recently endured its worst ever finish to a Premier League season and already in this campaign, Ruben Amorim’s men have suffered a humiliating League Cup defeat to fourth-division Grimsby Town despite the acquisition of expensive new forwards Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Šeško.—
Patrick Snell,
CNN Money,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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As history tells us, when the most vicious wars inevitably come to an end, destruction, chaos and hopelessness are left in their wake.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
10 Sep. 2025
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Today that sense of hopelessness has been replaced by a sense of determination and a good deal more hope.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Many lawmakers, conservative and liberal alike, mourned him and the incident of political violence.—
Ross O'Keefe,
The Washington Examiner,
17 Sep. 2025
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Tahlequah previously made global headlines in 2018 for carrying a dead calf for over 1,000 miles across 17 days, demonstrating what researchers believe is mourning behavior among orcas.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despair. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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