1
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits
her slumping posture betrayed a growing despondence
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in desperation
utter loss of hope
the ability to endure defeat without despondence has allowed him to weather the ups and downs of an acting career
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of despondence
Amidst the initial confusion that followed the freezing of USAID grants, the mood across the humanitarian sector was one of panic, anxiety, and quiet despondence.
—
Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
There’s a lingering despondence in his expression.
—Julius Miller, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Democrats have already begun the autopsy on the election results as Harris supporters express a mix of outrage and despondence.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2024
Baade, who remembers his own father’s despondence when the Braves left town, doesn’t outright dismiss the idea that the Brewers could leave, agreeing that a smaller-market team is at a disadvantage.
—Jr Radcliffe, Journal Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2023
Amy's behavior demonstrates how scoring high in each of these components facilitates a flexible, confident and passionate approach to life and ensures a strong degree of resiliency when faced with anxiety, despondence and overwhelm.
—Roberta Moore, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recalls his own quiet despondence when Dallas began the season not only with a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but a five-game loss of quarterback Dak Prescott to a thumb fracture.
—Dallas News, 30 Oct. 2022
Emitting a combination of anger, frustration, and despondence, the University of Utah’s fifth-year junior quarterback was 15 minutes removed from throwing a back-breaking interception in the end zone that helped seal a 29-26 University of Florida win at The Swamp.
—Josh Newman, The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 Sep. 2022
Both question the human costs of work, zooming in on the affects—despondence, alienation, indifference—that businesses produce alongside goods and services.
—Stephen Kearse, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2022
Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
There’s a lingering despondence in his expression.
—Julius Miller, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2025
Democrats have already begun the autopsy on the election results as Harris supporters express a mix of outrage and despondence.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2024
Baade, who remembers his own father’s despondence when the Braves left town, doesn’t outright dismiss the idea that the Brewers could leave, agreeing that a smaller-market team is at a disadvantage.
—Jr Radcliffe, Journal Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2023
Amy's behavior demonstrates how scoring high in each of these components facilitates a flexible, confident and passionate approach to life and ensures a strong degree of resiliency when faced with anxiety, despondence and overwhelm.
—Roberta Moore, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recalls his own quiet despondence when Dallas began the season not only with a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but a five-game loss of quarterback Dak Prescott to a thumb fracture.
—Dallas News, 30 Oct. 2022
Emitting a combination of anger, frustration, and despondence, the University of Utah’s fifth-year junior quarterback was 15 minutes removed from throwing a back-breaking interception in the end zone that helped seal a 29-26 University of Florida win at The Swamp.
—Josh Newman, The Salt Lake Tribune, 4 Sep. 2022
Both question the human costs of work, zooming in on the affects—despondence, alienation, indifference—that businesses produce alongside goods and services.
—Stephen Kearse, The Atlantic, 15 Apr. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despondence
Noun
-
These movies commit to the dusty interior decoration and inherent sadness of their ghost stories, but have little feel for the profound interfamily dynamics therein.—
J. Kim Murphy,
Variety,
3 Sep. 2025
-
So many of Lee’s memories of her mother are tinged with sadness and grief.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Daniels also threw a desperation pick while simply trying to get rid of the ball, but the game’s outcome was decided by then.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Tatum does stretch his acting abilities in scenes where Jeffrey’s con-man charisma is underlaid with desperation and deception, but there’s nothing in Cianfrance and Kirt Gunn’s screenplay to seriously challenge Tatum’s persona as a leading man.—
Katie Rife,
IndieWire,
6 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In addition, people may experience anxiety or depression related to summer's end and the return to school and work routines, Prism Medical Products says.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
The Browns are a virus for seasonal depression.—
Jason Lloyd,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
The feelings of postpartum depression — despair, guilt, shame and worthlessness — began creeping in.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Some of the movie’s best scenes highlight the deep despair of that life, emphasizing how Meursault is indeed a stranger (or outsider, as the title of the book was first translated to in English) in a land under occupation.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Lacy’s new music maintains his sly sense of humor, but with a barefaced melancholy that pushes it to new emotional depths.—
Jeff Ihaza,
Rolling Stone,
14 Aug. 2025
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More often than not, the film’s nostalgia is sweet and enjoyable because it is paired with the melancholy that comes from all the acknowledgments of the actors from the original who died over the last 29 years.—
Jesse David Fox,
Vulture,
30 July 2025
Noun
-
Today that sense of hopelessness has been replaced by a sense of determination and a good deal more hope.—
Gabrielle Emanuel,
NPR,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Bigelow’s explosively entertaining real-time thriller, told from multiple perspectives at various levels of government from situation room deputies to POTUS (Idris Elba) himself, does not mince on hopelessness.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Anger could be enough, sorrow could be enough.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Its purpose is not to wallow in historical sorrow, but to illuminate how a people’s spirit was forged in the fire of injustice.—
Brad Braxton,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despondence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despondence. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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