despondent

de·spon·dent

adj \di-ˈspän-dənt\

Definition of DESPONDENT

: feeling or showing extreme discouragement, dejection, or depression <despondent about his health>

— de·spon·dent·ly adverb

Examples of DESPONDENT

1. I had never seen them looking so despondent.
2. a group of despondent fans
3. Writers who spend much time in universities are likely to grow despondent over the future of literature, for there it is treated as a finished thing. —Louis Simpson, New York Times Book Review, 21 Nov. l982
4. His colleagues did not care for his despondent company, which made him suffer more, which perpetuated their distance … —Noah Charney, The Art Thief, 2007
5. The Simpsons' plots are a bit more sophisticated than their Saturday morning counterparts and are occasionally tinged with pathos—as when Homer loses his job at the nuclear-power plant and becomes despondent and even suicidal. —Jerry Lazar, TV Guide, 13 Jan. 1990

Origin of DESPONDENT

Latin despondent-, despondens, present participle of despondēre

First Known Use: circa 1699

Related to DESPONDENT

Synonyms: despairing, desperate, forlorn, hopeless

Antonyms: hopeful, optimistic

Related Words: blue, brokenhearted, crestfallen, dejected, depressed, disconsolate, doleful, down, downcast, downhearted, gloomy, glum, hangdog, heartbroken, heartsick, heartsore, inconsolable, joyless, low, low-spirited, melancholy, miserable, mournful, sad, saddened, sorrowful, sorry, unhappy, woebegone, woeful, wretched; abject, disappointed, discouraged, disheartened, dispirited; grieving, wailing, weeping; bleak, cheerless, comfortless, dark, depressing, desolate, dismal, drear, dreary, funereal; cynical, pessimistic; accepting, resigned

Near Antonyms: ecstatic, elated, enraptured, entranced, euphoric, exhilarated, exuberant, exultant; blithe, blithesome, gay, jocund, jolly, jovial, lightsome, merry, mirthful; encouraged, heartened; animated, jaunty, lively, perky, sprightful, sprightly, vivacious; blissful, buoyant, cheerful, cheery, chipper, delighted, glad, gladdened, gladsome, gleeful, happy, joyful, joyous, jubilant, sunny, upbeat

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Synonym Discussion of DESPONDENT

despondent, despairing, desperate, hopeless mean having lost all or nearly all hope. despondent implies a deep dejection arising from a conviction of the uselessness of further effort <despondent about yet another rejection>. despairing suggests the slipping away of all hope and often despondency <despairing appeals for the return of the kidnapped child>. desperate implies despair that prompts reckless action or violence in the face of defeat or frustration <one last desperate attempt to turn the tide of battle>. hopeless suggests despair and the cessation of effort or resistance and often implies acceptance or resignation <the situation of the trapped miners is hopeless>.

Rhymes with DESPONDENT

respondent