dejection
Americannoun
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depression or lowness of spirits.
- Antonyms:
- exhilaration
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Medicine/Medical, Physiology.
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evacuation of the bowels; fecal discharge.
-
noun
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lowness of spirits; depression; melancholy
-
-
faecal matter evacuated from the bowels; excrement
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the act of defecating; defecation
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Other Word Forms
- self-dejection noun
- superdejection noun
Etymology
Origin of dejection
1400–50; late Middle English deieccioun < Latin dējectiōn- (stem of dējectiō ) a throwing down, equivalent to dēject ( us ) ( deject ) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
Someone overcoming the loss of a loved one might be in a state of dejection or depression for some time. It's all part of the grieving process. Dejection comes from the Latin deicere meaning "throw down." When you're in a state of dejection, your emotions are really thrown down in the dumps. Dejection is also a fancy word for the solid excretory product your bowels release, or in other words: poop. Regardless of which definition you're using, it's safe to say that when it comes to your well-being, dejection is just not something you want to hang onto.
Vocabulary lists containing dejection
The Great Gatsby
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The Mysterious Benedict Society
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"The Open Boat" by Stephen Crane
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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.
In the former he proved compellingly contemplative and introspective, while in the latter he established an impressive arc, growing from unleashing unbounded, extroverted dimensions to embodying crumpled dejection.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 9, 2026
And it can be the difference between hope and dejection at what is a very precarious time for most families.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2025
“I woke up with a big smile on my face today, feeling very loved by all of you,” he wrote on a carousel of photos showing his postrace dejection.
From Seattle Times • May 27, 2024
The endless search for hope in a swamp of dejection.
From BBC • Nov. 19, 2023
The other potters seemed to slump as one into dejection, all but abandoning their work in favor of long, lugubrious visits to the wine shop, where they commiserated with one another.
From "A Single Shard" by Linda Sue Park
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.
