despond
Americanverb (used without object)
noun
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
- desponder noun
- despondingly adverb
- undesponding adjective
- undespondingly adverb
Etymology
Origin of despond
1670–80; < Latin dēspondēre to give up, lose heart, promise, equivalent to dē- de- + spondēre to promise
Explanation
To despond is to become very downhearted or gloomy. You could say that you tend to despond whenever you think about the end of summer. As a verb, despond is an old-fashioned word that you'll probably only see in books. It's much more common to hear the related words despondent and despondence. Still, if you don't mind sounding a little outdated, you can urge your little brother not to despond over his glass of spilled milk. The Latin root is despondere, "to give up, lose, lose heart, or resign."
Vocabulary lists containing despond
Society and Solitude
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Oliver Twist
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Novel Study: Gulliver’s Travels, Parts 3–4
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
The most urgent question facing Europe this decade is whether anyone can drag Germany’s economy out of its despond.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026
Randy started building the “Phantasma Gloria” around the turn of the millennium, when he was “languishing in the sea of despond for the unmet yearning to create something new and beautiful in the world.”
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 12, 2023
“The Unfolding” suggests no solutions to this plight, but it offers irresistible reflection on how the audacity of hope got pushed off the rails and fell into the slough of despond.
From Washington Post • Sep. 13, 2022
Good, good, just as well, because the bottom two face off at St Mary’s this evening, and whoever loses this will find themselves careering hysterically towards the slough of despond.
From The Guardian • Nov. 30, 2019
Her voice sank into a dreary drone of despond.
From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick
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.
