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despondency
noun
de·spon·den·cy
di-ˈspän-dən-sē
: the state of being despondent or extremely low in spirits : dejection, hopelessness
sank into despondency while he was unemployed
Synonyms
- blue devils
- blues
- dejection
- depression
- desolation
- despond
- despondence
- disconsolateness
- dispiritedness
- doldrums
- dolefulness
- downheartedness
- dreariness
- dumps
- forlornness
- gloom
- gloominess
- glumness
- heartsickness
- joylessness
- melancholy
- miserableness
- mopes
- mournfulness
- oppression
- sadness
- sorrowfulness
- unhappiness
Examples of despondency in a Sentence
in despondency because he couldn't seem to settle into a lasting relationship
in their despondency they seemingly forgot that losing teams can become winning teams in a single season
Recent Examples on the Web
Celebration turns to silent despondency, as the movie’s rousing highs are replaced by a purgatorial limbo, as though time were standing still.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 9 May 2024
None of these thoughts are expressed in words, but thanks to Ben’s impeccable performance, Meena brings even these complex ideas to life through her silent despondency and her yearning for human decency.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Feb. 2024
As a last-ditch effort to save their Christmas from Gene's despondency, the Belchers try to rerecord the album themselves, which doesn't work until Gene gets a trippy vision from Percy McTinsel-bud (Dana Snyder).
—EW.com, 27 Nov. 2023
Following her initial despondency, Kashfi refused to take the lashings sitting down.
—Hazlitt, 31 Jan. 2024
Caroline Hickman, a researcher on eco-anxiety from the University of Bath, cautions that the feelings of worry, grief, despair, and despondency associated with eco-anxiety should not be pathologized.
—Tori Tsui, WIRED, 22 Jan. 2024
George Bailey has lived a commendable life, but his despondency hides this reality from him.
—Peter J. Travers, National Review, 30 Dec. 2023
The summer that just blazed by belonged unequivocally to the girls and girlies, cultural archetypes who embodied, in their despondency and their delight, the incongruities of being young and female in America.
—Iva Dixit, New York Times, 19 Sep. 2023
The general despondency among young Chinese is already hamstringing the economy.
—Christian Shepherd, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'despondency.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
see despond entry 1
First Known Use
1653, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near despondency
Cite this Entry
“Despondency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/despondency. Accessed 10 Jun. 2024.
Kids Definition
despondency
noun
de·spond·en·cy
di-ˈspän-dən-sē
: the state of being despondent : dejection, discouragement
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