despondency

or de·spond·ence

[dih-spon-duhn-see or dih-spon-duhns]

See more synonyms for despondency on Thesaurus.com

noun

state of being despondent; depression of spirits from loss of courage or hope; dejection.

Origin of despondency

First recorded in 1645–55; despond + -ency

Related formspre·de·spond·en·cy, noun

Synonyms for despondency

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melancholy, gloom.

Synonym study

See despair.

Antonyms for despondency

joy.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for despondence

gloom, melancholy, desperation, glumness, despondency, dejection, blues, hopelessness, discouragement, depression, unhappiness, gloominess, desperateness, despond

Examples from the Web for despondence

Historical Examples of despondence

I smiled at the despondence in her tone as I extinguished the kerosene lamp-light.
Some Everyday Folk and Dawn
Miles Franklin
Gloom, silence, and despondence seemed every where to prevail.
The Eve of All-Hallows, v. 2 of 3
Matthew Weld Hartstonge
To stupify us into despondence, that destruction may certainly seize us?
Pamphlets On The Constitution Of The United States
Various
Out of this mood of despondence I had to lift myself by an act of will.
Under the Prophet in Utah
Frank J. Cannon and Harvey J. O'Higgins
Of these there was no trace in her eyes, only apathy, weariness, despondence.
Perlycross
R. D. Blackmore

Word Origin and History for despondence

1670s, from Latin despondere "to give up, lose, lose heart, resign, to promise in marriage" (especially in phrase animam despondere, literally "give up one's soul"), from the sense of a promise to give something away, from de- "away" (see de-) + spondere "to promise" (see spondee). A condition more severe than despair.

despondency

1650s; see despondence + -cy.