despondent
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See hopeless.
Other Word Forms
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”; see despond
Explanation
If you are despondent, you are discouraged, very sad, and without hope. If you are depressed, you might describe your mood as despondent. This adjective is often followed by over or about: "He was despondent over the loss of his job." If you want a noun, use the words despondency or despondence. The adjective despondent is from Latin despondere, "to lose courage, give up," from the prefix de- ("from") plus spondere ("to promise"). The Latin words originally referred to promising a woman in marriage.
Vocabulary lists containing despondent
The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone
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Emotions on Display
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 8
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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.
"Everyone knows it's a fix," said one despondent man in Manara Square in Ramallah, who declined to give his name.
From BBC • May 15, 2026
Amid global crises, economic instability, and the threat of climate change, many young people are feeling increasingly despondent.
From Slate • May 12, 2026
But they were not defeatist, and not despondent.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026
He was so despondent, his mother said, that she felt her only option was to allow them to be sent back to El Salvador, a country Edwin left when he was 5.
From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026
He became despondent over his own failings and the loss of his troops.
From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby
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.
