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
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 9 June 2025
Anybody with sense memories of real-life disasters — from 9/11 to the COVID pandemic — will recognize the human need to normalize despair and catastrophe, as will those who’ve spent a lot of time thinking about climate collapse.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 June 2025
Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 2 May 2025
In a recent interview with the Korea Times Bae talked about the kind of societal expectations that might drive a young person to despair.
—Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despair
Noun
The way the real Nikki and Molly deployed gallows humor and cracked each other up in moments of despair felt so relatable.
—Glenn Garner, Deadline, 9 June 2025
Anybody with sense memories of real-life disasters — from 9/11 to the COVID pandemic — will recognize the human need to normalize despair and catastrophe, as will those who’ve spent a lot of time thinking about climate collapse.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 June 2025
Verb
The cost of housing in America is so high that many Americans despair of ever owning a home.
—Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 2 May 2025
In a recent interview with the Korea Times Bae talked about the kind of societal expectations that might drive a young person to despair.
—Joan MacDonald, Forbes.com, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despair
Noun
-
The Oklahoma City Thunder had a chance to close out the series in Game 6 on Thursday night, but the Indiana Pacers came out with desperation in front of their home crowd and dominated for nearly the entire contest.—
Nick Crain,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
Perry strips the narrative down to raw moments of desperation, exploring what can happen when someone's pushed beyond their limits.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
10 June 2025
Noun
-
Before the jury reached its partial verdict, the jury foreperson expressed dismay to Farber about deliberation proceedings.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2025
-
When lawmakers expressed dismay that reform wasn’t happening quickly enough, Schiraldi pleaded for patience.—
Racquel Bazos,
Baltimore Sun,
9 June 2025
Verb
-
She’s encountered many grieving parents who lost their children to gunfire.—
Tribune News Service,
Twin Cities,
21 June 2025
-
Like the notion of never stepping into the same river twice, the protagonist in my own book, upon finally accepting that loving a river is an act of loving an ever-changing, never-graspable flow, is irrevocably changed by that painful experience and yet doesn’t have the staying power to grieve it.—
Siouxzi Connor
June 20,
Literary Hub,
20 June 2025
Noun
-
At the time, Joel was also passionate about motorcycles, despite both the record and the insurance company's discouragement.—
Marina Watts,
People.com,
6 June 2025
-
Similarly, entrepreneurs should extract valuable insights from rejections while discarding the discouragement.—
Sarah Hernholm,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Too short and the flavors won't develop fully; too long and the texture can suffer.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
22 June 2025
-
The on-court product has not suffered, and the basketball has been amazing.—
Mike Vorkunov,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
Verb
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The necklace is made up of black glass hearts that experts think were meant to imitate jet, a rare gemstone used in mourning jewelry.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 June 2025
-
Scenes from the crash site; family members mourn victims of the crash.—
Jennifer Jett,
NBC news,
12 June 2025
Noun
-
To date, the Facebook post about her story has garnered more than 19,000 reactions, sparking a wave of sorrow and outrage from animal lovers across the country.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 June 2025
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Prefaced by a host of personal disasters—the death of her mother’s onetime partner Mary Norcross, her own hospitalization for digestive problems, her mother’s painful shingles and neuralgia—the decade of the 1940s brought sorrow.—
Susan Gubar
June 9,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2025
Verb
-
May hurt millions The Congressional Budget Office estimates that 4.8 million people could become uninsured from this provision alone.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
14 June 2025
-
Clark got hurt at the end of that game and hasn’t suited up since.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
14 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despair. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.
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