Definition of despair
intransitive verb
: to lose all hope or confidence despair of winning
transitive verb
obsolete : to lose hope for
despairer
nounExplore Merriam-Webster
Examples of despair in a Sentence
Sometimes it is hard not to despair about relations between men and women in American society. They seem to have hit rock bottom. —Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn, New Republic, 6 May 2002
It is possible that at this stage Caesar had not altogether despaired of a consensual solution to the difficulties facing the Republic. —Anthony Everitt, Cicero, (2001) 2003
Yet, until very recently, Alzheimer's was so poorly understood that scientists despaired of finding a treatment, much less a cure. —Ken Garber, Technology, March 2001
Things look bad now, but don't despair.
we despaired when we saw how little time we had left to complete our project
Recent Examples of despair from the Web
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Don’t despair if some of your grades aren’t quite what you were used to in geography class — some states are much more difficult than others.
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The island shows everything -- nature's reality -- and Anderson despaired of none, not even destruction.
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The island shows everything — nature’s reality — and Anderson despaired of none, not even destruction.
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But that is little comfort to Fatsuma, who despairs of ever seeing her daughter escape from her living nightmare.
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In the meantime, male and non-minority mentors shouldn’t despair.
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With so many basic research proposals already going unfunded, and other researchers despairing of winning what’s becoming more lottery than competition, some fear even more high-impact projects may be slipping through the cracks.
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No one despairs over setbacks and soars with good news.
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Two years ago, Oregon School Boards Association leaders despaired over the lack of interest in running for school boards.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'despair.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of despair
Middle English despeiren, from Anglo-French desperer, from Latin desperare, from de- + sperare to hope; akin to Latin spes hope — more at speed
Definition of despair
1 : utter loss of hope a cry of despair gave up in despair
2 : a cause of hopelessness an incorrigible child is the despair of his parents
Examples of despair in a Sentence
On the occasion of Johnson's tercentenary, Martin (A Life of James Boswell) searches out the psychological elements covered up by Boswell and others: the immense insecurities, bouts of deep depression, corrosive self-doubt and, in his last days, despair for his very soul. —Publishers Weekly, 21 July 2008
Players who'd been on the 2004 Olympic team joked about whether their two bronze medals equaled one silver. There was none of the despair or finger-pointing that followed the world championships in '02, when Team USA finished sixth. —Kelly Anderson, Sports Illustrated, 11 Sept. 2006
The people who try to save endangered species in Hawaii are immune to despair. They have to be, to keep doing what they do. —Lawrence Downes, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2004
His despair nearly drove him mad.
I was overcome by despair at being unable to find them.
She finally gave up in despair.
The people were driven to despair by the horrors of war.
This latest setback has brought her to the depths of despair.
Recent Examples of despair from the Web
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The Boston Fed published research in September on the link between local economic despair and opioid use in New England.
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Fifty years ago this week, the despair of a city led to devastation on its streets when an unfounded rumor that a man had died in police custody triggered five nights of gunfire, arson and looting in Newark, New Jersey.
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Her journey will entail violence, hunger and despair, but along with the brutal robbers and snapping crocodiles, there’s comic business as well as glimmers of magic.
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But BoJack Horseman also laden with more honesty, despair, and existential yearning than most TV dramas, which take themselves 10 times more seriously while saying 10 times less.
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Across time and space, hope and despair, Americans have risen to serve their country and found a buoyant Grace.
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But don't despair: The Internet is littered with free guides to The Startup Way.
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But don’t despair: The Internet is littered with free guides to The Startup Way.
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The GOP has a talent for ignoring the despair of the dis-empowered.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'despair.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of despair
see 1despair
DESPAIR Defined for English Language Learners
despair
playDefinition of despair for English Language Learners
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: to no longer have any hope or belief that a situation will improve or change
despair
playDefinition of despair for English Language Learners
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: the feeling of no longer having any hope
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: someone or something that causes extreme sadness or worry
DESPAIR Defined for Kids
Definition of despair for Students
despaired
;despairing
: to give up or lose all hope or confidence She began to despair of ever finding her homework paper.
Definition of despair for Students
1 : loss of hope : a feeling of complete hopelessness He finally gave up in despair.
2 : a cause of hopelessness
Learn More about despair
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See words that rhyme with despair Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for despair Spanish Central: Translation of despair Nglish: Translation of despair for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of despair for Arabic speakers
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