despairing 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈsper-iŋ How to pronounce despairing (audio)
Definition of despairingnext
1
as in hopeless
emphasizing or expecting the worst despairing predictions regarding the effects of global overpopulation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in desperate
feeling or showing no hope despairing applicants need to be reminded that most students are eventually accepted somewhere

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

despairing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of despair
as in grieving
to lose all hope or confidence we despaired when we saw how little time we had left to complete our project

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the adjective despairing differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of despairing are desperate, despondent, and hopeless. While all these words mean "having lost all or nearly all hope," despairing suggests the slipping away of all hope and often despondency.

despairing appeals for the return of the kidnapped child

When is it sensible to use desperate instead of despairing?

While the synonyms desperate and despairing are close in meaning, desperate implies despair that prompts reckless action or violence in the face of defeat or frustration.

one last desperate attempt to turn the tide of battle

When might despondent be a better fit than despairing?

While in some cases nearly identical to despairing, despondent implies a deep dejection arising from a conviction of the uselessness of further effort.

despondent about yet another rejection

Where would hopeless be a reasonable alternative to despairing?

The synonyms hopeless and despairing are sometimes interchangeable, but hopeless suggests despair and the cessation of effort or resistance and often implies acceptance or resignation.

the situation of the trapped miners is hopeless

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of despairing
Adjective
Western allies of the United States gathered in Munich this past week, anxious, adrift and despairing in the face of President Trump’s brute display of muscle-flexing on the global stage. —Mark Landler, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025 Bleak as that may sound, the musical finds rare shards of light — and an unlikely connection — in the most despairing of places. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 27 Jan. 2025
Verb
These are the people who, despairing of finding their way out honestly, simply smash and bash their way through the corn willy-nilly. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2024 Meme-makers across America are despairing right now. —Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for despairing
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despairing
  1. hopeless
  2. desperate
  3. grieving
  4. cynical
  5. unhappy
  6. suffering
  7. sad
  8. mourning
Adjective
  • Feeling hopeless in her quest to stop Crawford and help Delia get her life back, Elsbeth confronts the boastful judge, who is riding high on his rising star and his triumph over her.
    — Hunter Ingram, Variety, 25 Apr. 2025
  • The hopeless woman grasps her head with one hand and checks her baby’s cheek with the other.
    — Chadd Scott, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
Definition of hopeless
Adjective
  • The Escape As terror swept through the city, thousands of desperate Alawites fled.
    — Christina Goldbaum, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
  • The quiet city of Medford, Oregon was shaken by Maggie Friar's desperate 911 call in the early morning hours of Oct. 2, 2017.
    — Natalie Morales, Richard Fetzer, CBS News, 19 Apr. 2025
Definition of desperate
Verb
  • Bereavement hallucinations—intensely vivid encounters with the deceased—are reported by as many as half of all grieving people.
    — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The Catalan feature tells the stories of Anabel and her mother, Delia, who are grieving for Julián, Anabel’s father.
    — Jamie Lang, Variety, 22 Mar. 2025
Definition of grieving
Adjective
  • Lee’s cynical cardsharp of a brother, Julius (Jacob Elordi), was meant to be part of that dream move, but the call of gambling takes Julius to Las Vegas instead.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2025
  • Now, posters are more cynical and there’s a fatalist bent to the conversations that wasn’t there before.
    — Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 22 Apr. 2025
Definition of cynical
Adjective
  • Some 59% of voters are unhappy with how things are going in the country.
    — Dana Blanton, FOXNews.com, 23 Apr. 2025
  • Particularly now that Americans are unhappy with the state of economy.
    — Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Apr. 2025
Definition of unhappy
Verb
  • Anyway, Asma is now suffering terribly, according to reports.
    — Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 31 Dec. 2024
  • Under the hood, your body is often suffering from dehydration and inflammation.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 31 Dec. 2024
Definition of suffering
Adjective
  • Though the courts have not invariably ruled against Trump, the Administration’s record so far is, to use one of the President’s favorite words, sad.
    — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
  • The sad story of Alex Verdugo was one of the most puzzling dramas of the MLB offseason.
    — Nicholas Creel, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Apr. 2025
Definition of sad
Verb
  • Also, the episode opens with the introduction of Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby with a group of Fireflies, seemingly mourning the losses at the hospital where Joel murdered everyone to save Ellie.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 13 Apr. 2025
  • The community is now mourning his loss.
    — Jo Ciavaglia, USA Today, 13 Apr. 2025
Definition of mourning

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Cite this Entry

“Despairing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despairing. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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