Synonyms

despondent

American

[dih-spon-duhnt] / dɪˈspɒn dənt /

adjective

feeling or showing profound hopelessness, dejection, discouragement, or gloom.

despondent about failing health.

Synonyms:

blue, melancholy, downhearted

Antonyms:

hopeful, happy

despondent British

/ dɪˈspɒndənt /

adjective

downcast or disheartened; lacking hope or courage; dejected

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See hopeless.

Other Word Forms

despondence noun
despondency noun
despondently adverb
predespondent adjective
quasi-despondent adjective
quasi-despondently adverb
undespondent adjective
undespondently adverb

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”; despond

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.

McGrath then trudged off to the other side of the course, despondent, lying in the snow in angry reflection.

From Barron's

It seems an entirely different space to the general despondent economic vibe across much of the country.

From BBC

That attitude “has pretty much vanished from British society,” Dr. Daniels says, and it makes him despondent.

From The Wall Street Journal

A measured Alcaraz was not overly despondent afterwards but has returned to Melbourne intent on winning.

From BBC

Not long ago, investors were despondent as stocks related to artificial intelligence pulled back on bubble fears and worries about potential overcapacity.

From Barron's

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023