despondent
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See hopeless.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of despondent
First recorded in 1690–1700; from Latin dēspondent-, stem of dēspondēns “giving up,” present participle of dēspondēre “to give up, lose heart, promise”; see despond
Explanation
If you are despondent, you are discouraged, very sad, and without hope. If you are depressed, you might describe your mood as despondent. This adjective is often followed by over or about: "He was despondent over the loss of his job." If you want a noun, use the words despondency or despondence. The adjective despondent is from Latin despondere, "to lose courage, give up," from the prefix de- ("from") plus spondere ("to promise"). The Latin words originally referred to promising a woman in marriage.
Vocabulary lists containing despondent
The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Emotions on Display
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 8
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
LA GUAIRA, Venezuela — Despondent that rescuers had not arrived to search for his family — buried in the rubble after last week’s twin quakes — Rubén Darío Sillie turned to social media.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2026
Despondent and heartbroken fans across the world were shown weeping inconsolably - but for Blake, something even more interesting caught her eye.
From BBC • Jul. 17, 2024
Despondent, Moradi initially declined when a friend told him about the commotion coming from a large, domed tent in the Jungle and suggested they check it out.
From Washington Post • Mar. 29, 2023
Despondent that their season had been pushed to the brink, he retreated to his Wrigleyville apartment and played hockey on Xbox for hours.
From New York Times • Apr. 4, 2022
Despondent, she climbed off her horse and knelt by the lake.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
