despondent

adjective

di-ˈspän-dənt How to pronounce despondent (audio)
Definition of despondentnext
1
as in desperate
feeling or showing no hope after four days and still no word that the missing plane had been located, the relatives were despondent

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in depressed
feeling unhappiness feeling despondent over the death of another close friend

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective despondent differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of despondent are despairing, desperate, and hopeless. While all these words mean "having lost all or nearly all hope," despondent implies a deep dejection arising from a conviction of the uselessness of further effort.

despondent about yet another rejection

Where would despairing be a reasonable alternative to despondent?

The words despairing and despondent can be used in similar contexts, but despairing suggests the slipping away of all hope and often despondency.

despairing appeals for the return of the kidnapped child

When would desperate be a good substitute for despondent?

The synonyms desperate and despondent are sometimes interchangeable, but 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

In what contexts can hopeless take the place of despondent?

While in some cases nearly identical to despondent, 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 despondent Players seemed despondent after Friday’s loss on Long Island. —Michael Russo, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025 The gallery owner, Mariana, is both despondent and enraged. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 19 Mar. 2025 Alex Vlasic just looked despondent. —Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 19 Mar. 2025 In 2025, Simone’s assessment of our despondent state of being is just as resonant, and the role of the artist is no less urgent. —Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for despondent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despondent
  1. desperate
  2. depressed
  3. hopeless
  4. unhappy
  5. sad
  6. heartbroken
  7. despairing
  8. miserable
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
Adjective
  • The detective here, blending a couple of characters from the book, is Inspector Leach, a depressed drinker so unkempt one wonders why he hasn’t been put on administrative leave.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025
  • To my dismay, the leader started feeling depressed rather than taking the actions that were most required.
    — Sonal Jain, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
Definition of depressed
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
  • 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
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
Adjective
  • Downs recovered from her injuries but remained heartbroken over the loss of her friends and overwhelmed with survivor's guilt.
    — Laurel Morales, NPR, 18 Apr. 2025
  • King was on an errand to pick up a snack for his mom when he was shot, heartbroken relatives said.
    — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of heartbroken
Adjective
  • These lines represent Elisabeth at her most despairing.
    — Elizabeth Djinis, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Apr. 2025
  • By turns giddy, anxious, and despairing, these poems have endeared him to generations of ordinary readers who find in the tempestuous and ultimately brokenhearted poet a strikingly modern and profoundly accessible figure.
    — Daniel Mendelsohn, New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of despairing
Adjective
  • Politics Trump officials’ defiance over Abrego Garcia’s deportation is ‘shocking,’ appeals court says April 17, 2025 His underlings ape his ghoulish glee in making life miserable for undocumented immigrants.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Just 22 regulation wins, more than only the miserable Chicago Blackhawks (20) and San Jose Sharks (14)?
    — Kevin Kurz, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of miserable

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Cite this Entry

“Despondent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despondent. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

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