1
as in desperation
utter loss of hope
the endless drought drove the farmers to despair
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Anna Broughel, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
With Jim Crow, an imperfect church, economic despair, and the Klan looming, the film underlines again and again the essentiality of love—not as an antidote, but as an alternative, an entirely separate mode of experiencing the world.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2025
Zachariah Mampilly, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2025
Pride will be hurting, but Brazil shouldn’t despair too much.
—Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despair
Noun
Sir Steer urged the participants to embrace both the facts of hope and the despair, encouraging them to lean on the power of civil society.
—Anna Broughel, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
With Jim Crow, an imperfect church, economic despair, and the Klan looming, the film underlines again and again the essentiality of love—not as an antidote, but as an alternative, an entirely separate mode of experiencing the world.
—Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2025
Verb
But the reader should not despair.
—Zachariah Mampilly, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2025
Pride will be hurting, but Brazil shouldn’t despair too much.
—Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despair
Noun
-
According to the logline, Nook dreams of a better life but is caught in a rampant cycle of poverty and desperation within his Atlanta community.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
2 May 2025
-
There was energy and joy but the mood was thick with desperation and laced with danger.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
Burruss, 48, who co-produced the revival with husband Todd Tucker, took to Instagram to voice her dismay over the production's snub.—
Sharareh Drury,
People.com,
1 May 2025
-
Aiding Lyonne with Uncanny Valley is tech innovator Jaron Lanier, who has expressed some dismay at the direction in which Big Tech has gone.—
Mathew Rodriguez,
Them.,
29 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
That particular parade took its toll on Parton, who is still grieving her longtime love.—
Rachel McRady,
People.com,
2 May 2025
-
What grieving parents need most is for their child to be remembered.—
Friends of Karen,
Forbes.com,
1 May 2025
Noun
-
And the emotional toll and anxiety keep mounting up: discouragement, depression, and a reluctance to even try anymore.—
Robin Ryan,
Forbes.com,
6 May 2025
-
Economic cooling, policy discouragement of conspicuous consumption, and a younger generation’s shifting priorities have combined to erode growth assumptions.—
Kate Hardcastle,
Forbes.com,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Cory Sandhagen dominated Deiveson Figueiredo before the latter suffered a knee injury in a 50-50 position that forced a submission.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
4 May 2025
-
Promising defender Joan Martinez, who suffered an ACL injury last August, is in the final stages of recovery.—
Mario Cortegana,
New York Times,
3 May 2025
Verb
-
Since the death of Pope Francis on April 21, a total of 220 cardinals -- the church's highest-ranking clergy -- have gathered in Rome to mourn the loss of the former pontiff and begin the secret conclave.—
Megan Forrester,
ABC News,
7 May 2025
-
Henry Long, the father of the victim, released a statement mourning the death of his daughter and calling for Finch to stay in jail.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2025
Noun
-
But while there was undeniable joy in that surreal experience, a quiet sorrow lingered beneath it all.—
Carissa Talmage,
People.com,
2 May 2025
-
The aubade flourishes wherever lovers try to cling to a few more moments together before the sweet sorrow of parting.—
A.O. Scott,
New York Times,
1 May 2025
Verb
-
The standoff threatens to dramatically disrupt trade between the world's two largest economies and hurt both economies.—
Zac Anderson,
USA Today,
9 May 2025
-
Eventually this chokes air from the soil and restricts water movement, hurting the overall health of your lawn.—
Kate Puhala,
Better Homes & Gardens,
9 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despair. Accessed 14 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share