as in grieved
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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Recent Examples of despaired
In her interview, Guthrie also despaired over the possibility that her fame could have made her mother a target for kidnappers, Page Six also reported.
—
Martha Ross, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
The Herald’s competitors despaired of ever competing with that paper’s speedy acquisition of news, and one, the Journal of Commerce, eventually gave up and created a cooperative agreement with the Herald that would become instrumental in the creation of the Associated Press.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2026
Democrats rejoiced; Republicans despaired.
—Kevin Igoe, Baltimore Sun, 4 Feb. 2026
The news of her 23-year-old son’s execution shocked and despaired the world.
—Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Anyone who ever despaired about their outstanding mortgage remaining virtually static despite months of repayments will relate.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
Martha Ross, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
The Herald’s competitors despaired of ever competing with that paper’s speedy acquisition of news, and one, the Journal of Commerce, eventually gave up and created a cooperative agreement with the Herald that would become instrumental in the creation of the Associated Press.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2026
Democrats rejoiced; Republicans despaired.
—Kevin Igoe, Baltimore Sun, 4 Feb. 2026
The news of her 23-year-old son’s execution shocked and despaired the world.
—Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
Anyone who ever despaired about their outstanding mortgage remaining virtually static despite months of repayments will relate.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despaired
Verb
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Schools brought in counselors for the victims’ young classmates and neighbors grieved at a growing memorial.—
Sophie Bates,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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The saga unfolded as Carla and Carlotta grieved an unrelated loss.—
Jennifer Cannon,
Vanity Fair,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Boston previously suffered a lower-leg injury in February when playing in Unrivaled, the professional 3-on-3 league.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
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The title comes from a miniature story by the Soviet writer Daniil Kharms, who wrote absurdist literature under Stalinism and suffered as a result.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
Verb
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Residents lamented that women needed to travel farther to give birth and mourned the loss of the OB-GYNs.—
Jazmin Orozco Rodriguez,
CBS News,
18 May 2026
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In February, Short mourned the death of their daughter, Katherine Short, who died by suicide at age 42.—
Erin Jensen,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Despaired.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despaired. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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