DESPAIR Synonyms: 108 Similar and Opposite Words

despair 1 of 2

noun

di-ˈsper

Definition of despair

as in desperation

utter loss of hope the endless drought drove the farmers to despair

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dismay

the state of being discouraged the other team's temporary lead caused some momentary despair

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

despair

2 of 2

verb

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

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 despair

Noun

The urban middle classes are in despair because the bursting of a real estate bubble — deliberately engineered by Xi — has evaporated the value of their main asset. — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026 The case against despair Not everyone reads the data that way. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026

Verb

In 2014, the party despaired at the success of the Koch donor network — decades of right-wing philanthropy that paid off in the tea party movement. — David Weigel, semafor.com, 10 June 2026 And if the waitlist gets outrageous, don’t despair—there are many ways to slurp in Tomales Bay. — Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for despair

Recent Examples of Synonyms for despair

Noun

But across this wolf may cry, her breathy delivery becomes so uniform that longing, frustration, and romantic desperation frequently sound indistinguishable.

— Precious Fondren, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026
Our community is dying; there’s an underlying sense of desperation, grief and pride that can both protect and suffocate out of a need to survive – this film is ultimately a love letter to us, with a sense of knowing.

— Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of desperation

Noun

His latest assignment is to cheer up young siblings Gabby (Xochitl Gomez, The Baby-Sitters Club) and Sebastian (Tiago Martinez), whose single mother (an underused America Ferrera) has just moved the family to a new town, much to their dismay.

— Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 3 Nov. 2026
Fans, including many who had traveled out of state for the event, took to the comments to share their dismay over the announcement.

— Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of dismay

Verb

In this contemporary fantasy, grieving daughter Hattie returns to Seattle for the first time in the two years since her mother’s death.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 Nov. 2026
In Birmingham, the mayor said, people can be united in grieving and seeking justice while still celebrating the classic football game, where Woodfin had posted pictures of himself Saturday evening.

— Eduardo Cuevas, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of grieve

Noun

Through such simple but evocative images, Zhang creates a whole world of suspicion and sadness.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
Throughout, there’s a lingering sadness, which is properly explored in a superb episode made up of a trifecta of flashbacks, and his dour constitution still pairs perfectly with Helen’s reassuring nature.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of sadness

Noun

If the only thing that gets measured is the outcome, discouragement wins.

— JJ Mazzo, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026
In a paper in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, members of the WTA’s performance and health staff stressed the importance of providing support, rather than discouragement, to athletes seeking to preserve their fertility.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of discouragement

Verb

Reaves, who played almost an entire game on what turned into a Grade 2 oblique strain suffered last April against Oklahoma City, had missed the Lakers’ previous game against the Atlanta Hawks because of illness.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 12 Nov. 2026
Keach had previously suffered a heart attack onstage in Chicago in June 2017.

— MARK KENNEDY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, Arkansas Online, 12 Nov. 2026

Definition of suffer

Noun

These were long, agonizing deaths marked by intolerable pain and hopelessness.

— Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
Symptoms can be similar to depression, and can include persistent feelings of hopelessness or pessimism and difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of hopelessness

Verb

As the community mourns a Lakewood police agent killed in the line of duty, CBS Colorado is learning more about the suspect accused of killing him and his lengthy criminal history.

— Olivia Young, CBS News, 7 Nov. 2026
Eight years after the death of Anthony Bourdain, people around the world still mourn the beloved chef, author and TV star.

— Charles Maynes, NPR, 6 Nov. 2026

Definition of mourn

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desolations

despair

despaired

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Style

“Despair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despair. Accessed 13 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of despair

noun

verb

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