despondency

de·spon·den·cy

noun \-dən-sē\

Definition of DESPONDENCY

: the state of being despondent : dejection, hopelessness

Examples of DESPONDENCY

1. <in despondency because he couldn't seem to settle into a lasting relationship>
2. <in their despondency they seemingly forgot that losing teams can become winning teams in a single season>

First Known Use of DESPONDENCY

1653

Related to DESPONDENCY

Synonyms

blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolation, despond, despondence, sadness, disconsolateness, dispiritedness, doldrums, dolefulness, downheartedness, dreariness, dumps, forlornness, gloom, gloominess, glumness, heartsickness, joylessness, melancholy, miserableness, mopes, mournfulness, oppression, sorrowfulness, unhappiness

Antonyms

bliss, blissfulness, ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration, exuberance, exultation, felicity, gladness, gladsomeness, happiness, heaven, intoxication, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, jubilation, rapture, rapturousness

Related Words

melancholia, self-pity; anguish, dolor, grief, mourning, somberness, sorrow, woefulness; agony, distress, pain; misery, woe, wretchedness; discouragement, disheartenment; moodiness; despair, desperation, hopelessness, self-despair; boredom, ennui, tedium; dismalness, drear, morbidness, moroseness, morosity; regret, rue

Near Antonyms

gaiety (also gayety), gayness, glee, gleefulness, humor, jollity, joviality, lightheartedness, merriment, mirth, mirthfulness; cheer, cheerfulness, cheeriness, hopefulness, optimism, sunniness; content, contentedness, contentment, satisfaction; delight, gratification