1
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits
in despondency because he couldn't seem to settle into a lasting relationship
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2
as in despair
the state of being discouraged
in their despondency they seemingly forgot that losing teams can become winning teams in a single season
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3
as in desperation
utter loss of hope
never once gave into despondency and self-pity during her long recovery from her injuries in the car crash
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of despondency
That doesn’t happen after Nico Williams gives Spain the lead; there is only despondency at watching England fall behind.
—
Tim Spiers, The Athletic, 15 July 2024
Katie Hafner: The mood of the research team, Dora wrote, turned from elation to despondency.
—Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2024
Ultimately the day ended for the Bears with a new wave of anger, embarrassment and despondency.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2024
He’s perched in front of jagged cliffs while hiking outside of Arles, France, a blue baseball cap pulled over his hair, cheeks extra-ruddy in the sun, his default affability tempered by a sense of despondency.
—Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for despondency 
Tim Spiers, The Athletic, 15 July 2024
Katie Hafner: The mood of the research team, Dora wrote, turned from elation to despondency.
—Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2024
Ultimately the day ended for the Bears with a new wave of anger, embarrassment and despondency.
—Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2024
He’s perched in front of jagged cliffs while hiking outside of Arles, France, a blue baseball cap pulled over his hair, cheeks extra-ruddy in the sun, his default affability tempered by a sense of despondency.
—Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for despondency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despondency
Noun
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But they must not, in the course of their ordeal, be encouraged to adopt the kind of cynicism, the kind of despair, the kind of iconoclasm that is urged upon them by Mr. Baldwin in his recent works.—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Feb. 2025
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Ono’s despair was compounded by the fact that Lennon was unable to secure a U.S. visa due to a narcotics conviction in 1968.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
1 Feb. 2025
Noun
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San Diego could target him out of desperation after losing Ha-Seong Kim in free agency.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
7 Feb. 2025
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Yet, especially for women in these positions, the lines between deception, desperation, and delusion, which coexist in different ratios for each subject, are thin.—
Judy Berman,
TIME,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
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There’s more anxiety, depression, and even increased suicide rates.—
Contributed Content,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
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Moreover, loneliness contributes to higher rates of anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation.—
John Hewko,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2025
Noun
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To the dismay of consumers still struggling to digest soaring food costs, that likely means even higher egg prices in 2025.—
Anne Marie Lee,
CBS News,
29 Jan. 2025
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When Cal is murdered while under Secret Service protection, the delicate balance of life in the town is thrown into chaos, much to the dismay of powerful billionaire Samantha Redmond (Nicholson), who has way more influence than seems normal.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA TODAY,
27 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Blues music is a sound created by Black people to describe the melancholy of lives lived in the margins.—
Ira Porter,
The Christian Science Monitor,
28 Jan. 2025
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Instead, Presence sends you off in a cloud of gentle melancholy.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
TIME,
24 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Teams and athletes farther removed from the figure skating world took to social media Thursday to express words of sorrow and sympathy.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
31 Jan. 2025
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Her name brings profound joy and hope & her passing leaves painful tears and sorrow.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA TODAY,
31 Jan. 2025
Noun
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That’s not always easy with the onslaught of doom and gloom we’re met with.—
Raisa Habersham,
Miami Herald,
6 Feb. 2025
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Lyles was asked if the sense of doom and gloom was a product of all the uncertainty surrounding the team with the trade deadline looming.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacramento Bee,
2 Feb. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near despondency
Cite this Entry
“Despondency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despondency. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.
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