1
as in desperation
utter loss of hope
the endless drought drove the farmers to despair
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dismay
the state of being discouraged
the other team's temporary lead caused some momentary despair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to grieve
to lose all hope or confidence
we despaired when we saw how little time we had left to complete our project
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of despair
Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026
Directed by Pierre Salvadori, the film is set in Paris in 1928 and follows Antoine Balestro (Pio Marmaï), a painter at the height of his fame who has been unable to work since the death of his wife, Irène (Vimala Pons), much to the despair of his gallery owner, Armand (Gilles Lellouche).
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
Democrats rejoiced; Republicans despaired.
—Kevin Igoe, Baltimore Sun, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for despair
Noun
Set in Paris in 1928, the film stars Pio Marmaï as Antoine Balestro, a painter at the height of his fame who has been unable to work since the death of his wife, Irène (Vimala Pons), much to the despair of his gallery owner, Armand (Gilles Lellouche).
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 7 Apr. 2026
Directed by Pierre Salvadori, the film is set in Paris in 1928 and follows Antoine Balestro (Pio Marmaï), a painter at the height of his fame who has been unable to work since the death of his wife, Irène (Vimala Pons), much to the despair of his gallery owner, Armand (Gilles Lellouche).
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 7 Apr. 2026
Verb
As someone who regularly despairs over the choice between a sweet or savory breakfast meal, this was a godsend.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
Democrats rejoiced; Republicans despaired.
—Kevin Igoe, Baltimore Sun, 4 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for despair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despair
Noun
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The freshmen went back in forth, but Illinois missed its last three desperation attempts and UConn made five of its six free throws down the stretch.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
5 Apr. 2026
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Deftly drawing from folk, soul, blues, funk and country, Armatrading sings of love lost, won and desired, heady aspirations and quiet desperation, in a deep, richly moving voice.—
George Varga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Much to the dismay of White Sox fans, the team’s home opener was delayed Thursday, with the game postponed a day due to the aforementioned weather.—
Claire Malon,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Apr. 2026
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Speaking to the Star-Telegram, Ledet expressed dismay at how her son’s case has been handled from the beginning.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Group for individuals grieving death of spouse or life partner.—
Staff Report,
Baltimore Sun,
8 Apr. 2026
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By embedding with grieving families and legal advocates, the film combines personal narratives with investigative reporting to spark critical conversations about social media reform and encourage viewers to reflect on their own digital relationships.—
Brande Victorian,
HollywoodReporter,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Curtis revealed that Annie, who welcomed her baby boy with husband Jason Wolf in December, was able to take the grief and sadness of losing her godparents and birth as a new beginning.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
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There will be deaths, of characters as well as relationships, but McInerney’s always-sharp insights on social strata and human nature guarantee that in the midst of sadness we are also entertained.—
Bethanne Patrick,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
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More than 100 Manus employees moved into Meta’s Singapore offices in early March, CNBC has learned, signaling the controversial AI business deal has moved ahead despite Beijing’s discouragement.—
Evelyn Cheng,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
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Be aware that this discouragement might not be based on solid facts, but rather on disappointed hopes and wishes.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Crouch, who suffered a debilitating brain aneurysm a decade ago, also has Medicare, which covers people who are 65 or older or have disabilities.—
Sam Whitehead,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
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While the issue of who is to pay is debated, the homeowner is left to wait and suffer.—
Ashley Miznazi,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The other featured a comeback that saw hopelessness turn into jubilation.—
Peter Warren,
Houston Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
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For her and many other Iranians who spoke to CNN – their surnames withheld to protect their identities – the past three weeks have been filled with a sense of hopelessness and fear.—
Leila Gharagozlou,
CNN Money,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Those prehistoric creatures who met their end around 65 million years ago are currently being memorialized online by dino-heads who mourn their mass extinction.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2026
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Fond farewells to Sugar the Surfing Dog Huntington Beach, California, was in mourning for Sugar the Surfing Dog, the first dog to be inducted into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame.—
Robert Abitbol,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Despair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despair. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.
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