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 Her despondent facial reaction even became a meme online. —Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2025 Instead, Larson will win it behind the strength of Hendrick Motorsports, the New York Yankees of NASCAR — setting him up for another championship-contending Cup season and leaving all motorsport storytellers despondent, wondering what could’ve been. —Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2025 Gunderson’s Hertha is fierce, witty and courageous and her Marie is cowering, heartbroken and despondent. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025 Mazen was increasingly despondent. —Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 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
  • Previewing the playoffs with a playoff team draft Finding 3 positive thoughts for each of the NHL’s 15 most hopeless teams 16 stats: Blues’ turnaround, Lane Hutson’s stardom and Stars’ struggles Comments D Dan N. · 4h 17m ago Helle is thee best.
    — Scott Powers, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Mimi seesaws between hopeless heroin addict and righteous truth-teller.
    — Jeffrey Seller, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2025
Definition of hopeless
Adjective
  • Despite his close relationship with Trump, Elon Musk is unhappy about tariffs, which stand to hurt the business empire of the world’s richest man.
    — Danielle Chemtob, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • There have even been reports of police being called to deal with the rowdy behavior, not to mention some theater employees who are unhappy about the cleanup required.
    — Lisa Respers France, CNN Money, 8 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
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of heartbroken
Adjective
  • 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
  • When a betrayal comes — and there are many in this tender but despairing film — the horror becomes unbearable, for Lucia and, almost, for the viewer, straight through to a horrific ending.
    — Erik Piepenburg, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of despairing
Adjective
  • Before Minecraft, the turnout for major films at the box office has been middling to miserable.
    — Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Daryl was born in 1952, four years after the club’s last championship and just in time for four decades of miserable baseball on the lakeshore.
    — Zack Meisel, New York Times, 8 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 25 Apr. 2025.

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