dejection

noun

di-ˈjek-shən How to pronounce dejection (audio)
Definition of dejectionnext
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits I find that ice cream often works wonders when trying to overcome dejection

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of dejection Four years later, there’s not a hint of complacency or dejection in France. — Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 4 July 2026 But Floyd carries himself with a certain dejection, and the belly helped. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 10 June 2026 The dejection briefly abated when people standing along the metal doors of the theater heard muffled cheers when the taping began, bringing a few smiles to the gathering. — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 21 May 2026 Where there is excitement and bravado, Neto can also show dejection when the results aren’t going in his favor. — Doug Padilla, Oc Register, 20 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for dejection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dejection
  1. sadness
  2. depression
  3. melancholy
  4. sorrow
Noun
  • This year's report finds that levels of persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness among high schoolers have fallen in recent years – from 42% in 2021, to 40% in 2023 and 33% in 2025.
    — Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Scott is tremendous and tragic in the film, maybe more so in its moments of dark humor than in its final beats of near operatic sadness.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • In April 2022, Wynonna and Ashley’s mother, Naomi Judd, died by suicide at 76 after a lifelong battle with depression.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The drug has been associated in recent years with high-profile figures such as Elon Musk, who said it was prescribed to him to treat depression.
    — Violet Jira, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of depression
Noun
  • The question for me is whether or not Lloyd will also manage to capture the melancholy of a deceptively serious play, notwithstanding its reputation.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
  • On the one hand, there’s a fascination with collective joy and the forms of vernacular invention that aspire to it; on the other, there’s an underlying melancholy that points to the inevitability of isolation, an epistemology of loneliness.
    — Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of melancholy
Noun
  • With her toadstool-like jet-black perm and dark red lipstick, Haru is a striking presence, the sensuousness of her moves conveying both longing and sorrow.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Oakley and Reid lean so heavily into Elinor and Marianne’s crushing disappointments and the forces holding them back in a period of vast gender inequity, that their sorrows shove the characters’ more captivating qualities to the side.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of sorrow

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dejecting
dejection
dejects
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Cite this Entry

“Dejection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dejection. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dejection

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dejection

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