despondent
Americanadjective
adjective
Synonym Usage
See hopeless.
Other Word Forms
Derived 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.
Despondent and broke — many sold homes, borrowed cash, paid smugglers and left children behind in pursuit of the American dream — they now face an existential reckoning: What next?
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2025
Despondent and heartbroken fans across the world were shown weeping inconsolably - but for Blake, something even more interesting caught her eye.
From BBC • Jul. 17, 2024
Despondent that their season had been pushed to the brink, he retreated to his Wrigleyville apartment and played hockey on Xbox for hours.
From New York Times • Apr. 4, 2022
Despondent over their country’s future and afraid of possible conscription and closed borders, tens of thousands of Russians have fled to Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Central Asia and Europe since the Russian invasion began.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 15, 2022
Despondent and morose, he held himself apart from the festivities, seated alone with his back to the room.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
