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
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
What happened last night was a double dip of despair.
—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 June 2026
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
While those legendary spreads may be harder to come by these days, don't despair.
—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for despair
Noun
Paula turns on a dime, expertly masks her horror, stress, and despair, and puts on a smile for her little girl.
—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
What happened last night was a double dip of despair.
—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 June 2026
Verb
In Osamu Dazai’s The Setting Sun, Kazuko despairs of the pain that her brother Naoji’s drug addiction and degenerate behavior have caused the family.
—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
While those legendary spreads may be harder to come by these days, don't despair.
—
Ana Gutierrez,
Austin American Statesman,
9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for despair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despair
Noun
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Tensions flared Saturday as desperation grew among anguished residents of the Venezuelan state of La Guaira, where rescuers and civilians searched for earthquake survivors amid a sharply rising death toll.
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But the show repeatedly undercuts that point of view by halfway reinforcing the age-old American assumption that crime is born of poor individual choices among an uncivilized populace, not of poverty, desperation, and preservation, both self and communal.
Noun
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Much to Iraq's dismay, Mbappé only has to beat one goalkeeper and not three.
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The sight of the lectern being carried out onto Downing Street, followed by the short, poignant farewell address, has taken on a ritual familiarity, with each departure colored by particular dismay.
Verb
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Following a career in the federal government, Jackson turned to cooking to grieve the death of his brother.
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The story is constructed around a love connection made when candid voicemails sent by a grieving San Francisco prep cook wind up in the ear of the wrong person — a cute guy in Austin.
Noun
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Fear, joy, surprise, sadness, excitement.
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Exceeding expectations As a trip set mainly in concentration camps, sadness is often the top expectation.
Noun
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SpongeBob doesn’t stay stuck in discouragement or disappointment for long, but rather looks for something positive to focus on.
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Ray McMillian is a talented Black classical violinist who defies systemic racism and his family’s discouragement to achieve musical success.
Verb
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The person had been taken to University Hospital in Columbia but later died from injuries suffered in the crash.
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The old guard of the Democratic Party suffered another body blow when three socialist congressional candidates in New York with anti-Israel platforms swept to victory, lurching the party even further to the left.
Noun
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But where some might see hopelessness, Ortiz sees an opportunity for connection.
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And when young people feel disconnected or believe systems are unresponsive to their daily experiences, that disconnection can deepen isolation and hopelessness.
Verb
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At two hundred and fifty, the job is not to mourn it.
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Venezuelans are starting to mourn some of the 164 people who have been killed in the disaster as rescue efforts ramp up to find survivors trapped in the rubble.
Cite this Entry
“Despair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despair. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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