dejected
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dejected
Explanation
If you're ejected from an important game, you're going to feel dejected. If you're rejected by the love of your life, you'll feel dejected again. Dejected goes beyond down––it's having given up hope. "After the theater was burned down by Mrs. Jud, the deranged school secretary, the drama students were too dejected even to sing "Pore Jud is Daid" from Oklahoma, the only song that might have made them feel better."
Vocabulary lists containing dejected
Dissed List: Breakup Words for Valentine's Day
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 3
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The Giver
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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.
He looked lost — like, I thought, someone whose too-often dejected body language told us the glare of Dodger Stadium’s bright lights would do more damage than help.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
They’re a stark contrast to Bonnie’s dejected demeanor whenever the girls from her dance class make fun of her for still playing with toys when they’ve all moved on to tablets.
From Salon ● Jun. 21, 2026
My heart goes out to any parent who sent a dejected little Knicks fan to bed at halftime, explaining they had school the next day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
The 24-year-old appeared laboured on court with a dejected expression as he lost the next three games, including 11 straight points, before calling for the trainer.
From BBC ● May 28, 2026
Mike Bogo, dejected, later commented, “I don’t care who wins. I just like to bust them bombs.”
From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown
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.
