despondency

noun

de·​spon·​den·​cy di-ˈspän-dən-sē How to pronounce despondency (audio)
Synonyms of despondencynext
: the state of being despondent or extremely low in spirits : dejection, hopelessness
sank into despondency while he was unemployed

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But while some like Nazanin feel a despondency heading into the new year, for others, hope springs eternal. Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026 That realization, though, is key to Stephen’s curdling idealism in the film, a moral collapse that Gosling gives urgency and despondency. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026 There are delicate parallels in O’Halloran’s screenplay showing the different ways in which the Evans men deal with their despondencies. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026 What better way and what better place to start anew, and to park the despondency and chaos of the past couple of months? Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for despondency

Word History

Etymology

see despond entry 1

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of despondency was in 1653

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Despondency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/despondency. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.

Kids Definition

despondency

noun
de·​spond·​en·​cy
di-ˈspän-dən-sē
: the state of being despondent : dejection, discouragement

More from Merriam-Webster on despondency

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster