as in grieves
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 despairs
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
As someone who regularly despairs over the choice between a sweet or savory breakfast meal, this was a godsend.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
When Eva suddenly disappears without a trace, the priest despairs, leading him to commit a series of shocking and violent crimes.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025
Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
As someone who regularly despairs over the choice between a sweet or savory breakfast meal, this was a godsend.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 26 Feb. 2026
When Eva suddenly disappears without a trace, the priest despairs, leading him to commit a series of shocking and violent crimes.
—Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despairs
Verb
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Each person grieves differently.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
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The Professor, with only her ex-partner’s cat for company, sits in her decaying apartment and grieves the loss of her relationship and her struggle with infertility.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 May 2026
Verb
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The passage echoes Whitehead’s response to 9/11, as Carney mourns the neighborhood that the Twin Towers would supplant.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
22 June 2026
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Civil rights advocates liken Kohen Wiley’s death to other Black lives lost after minor accusations, as experts question firing into moving cars and investigators review footage while his family mourns.—
Travis Loller,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Verb
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But moral injury, formidable as the idea is, doesn’t apply to Odysseus, who suffers from neither shame nor guilt.—
David Denby,
New Yorker,
21 June 2026
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Oh, and a few minutes later, Beulah suffers what looks to be a heart attack or stroke and collapses.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Despairs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despairs. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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