dejected
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dejected
Explanation
If you're ejected from an important game, you're going to feel dejected. If you're rejected by the love of your life, you'll feel dejected again. Dejected goes beyond down––it's having given up hope. "After the theater was burned down by Mrs. Jud, the deranged school secretary, the drama students were too dejected even to sing "Pore Jud is Daid" from Oklahoma, the only song that might have made them feel better."
Vocabulary lists containing dejected
Dissed List: Breakup Words for Valentine's Day
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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 3
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The Giver
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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.
After failing to do well on the retest, she has felt dejected, he said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
They’re a stark contrast to Bonnie’s dejected demeanor whenever the girls from her dance class make fun of her for still playing with toys when they’ve all moved on to tablets.
From Salon ● Jun. 21, 2026
Meckler has been following the Angels since age 5 and remembers feeling dejected after attending the Angels’ 4-1 home loss to the Royals in Game 2 of the 2014 American League Division Series.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 25, 2026
"The problem is it's a catastrophe that could've been avoided," says the dejected dairy farmer who has been in the business for 44 years.
From BBC ● Feb. 19, 2026
The rock fell to the ground with a dejected thud and rolled away, as though chastened.
From "The Girl Who Drank the Moon" by Kelly Barnhill
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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.