as in despondently
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Recent Examples of despairingly
O’Farrell’s words skip lightly on some pages, then pace with anxiety, then finally trudge along despairingly.
—
The Know, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
The Know, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despairingly
Adverb
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Semi-autobiographical in one sense and despondently poetic in the other, The Stranger launched Camus’ career as a major 20th century author.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
2 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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Now, the 36-year-old grower, who inherited the generational plot from his father, can only wave his arm dejectedly at row after row of weak, spindly stems, the result of catastrophic floods that swept the South Asian nation’s agricultural heartland to a degree not experienced in three decades.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Oct. 2025
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Immediately after his defeat, Medvedev violently smashed a racket in frustration and sat dejectedly on his chair for several minutes before leaving the court.—
Manasi Pathak,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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Following a bitterly cold Wednesday morning, temperatures warm towards 40° on Wednesday afternoon.—
Steven Sosna,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
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Last season ended bitterly; UConn had a tournament-worthy resume, but was left out by the NCAA selectors for the first time since 2017.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
18 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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For their part, Democratic leaders spoke mournfully of limits, of energy shortages, of national decline, of a crisis of confidence itself.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
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Based on the Dylan Thomas prose poem of the same name, published in 1952, the film lovingly and mournfully depicts the boyhood Christmastime of an old Welshman, tenderly and a tad mischievously embodied by Elliott.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
21 Nov. 2025
Adverb
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Tarun would tease her, and my mother would look sorrowfully toward Kavitha, as if the two of them now shared some womanly burden.—
Madhuri Vijay,
New Yorker,
16 Nov. 2025
Adverb
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The video of Hodges crying out plaintively is the antithesis of how a cop wants to be seen.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Jan. 2026
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Mia plaintively asks Philip at one particularly vulnerable moment.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Sep. 2019
Adverb
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Elsa / Getty Images The Atlanta Falcons’ struggles had head coach Raheem Morris ruefully quoting his former boss and friend, Mike Tomlin.—
Josh Kendall,
New York Times,
2 Dec. 2025
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Safdie says as Johnson laughs ruefully.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
12 Nov. 2025
Adverb
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The film centers on Westley (Cary Elwes), a farmhand who goes on a noble quest to rescue his beloved Buttercup (Robin Wright) from the clutches of the loathsome Prince Humperdink (Chris Sarandon), to whom she's unhappily betrothed.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
20 Jan. 2026
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The Old Globe: ‘Hedda Gabler’ Film and stage star Katie Holmes will play the title role in a new adaptation of Henrik Ibsen’s 1891 Norwegian psychological drama about an unhappily married and controlling woman whose plot to financially ruin her former lover goes horribly awry.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despairingly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despairingly. Accessed 26 Jan. 2026.
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