had been despairing

• past perfect progressive

  past perfect progressive

  Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.

  of despair.
  despair

  noun

  loss of hope; hopelessness.

Related Words

• anguish
• desperation
• despondency
• discouragement
• gloom
• melancholy
• misery
• pain
• sorrow