despond 1 of 2

noun

Definition of despondnext
1
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits he sank into a crushing despond after his wife left him

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in despair
utter loss of hope loss of his job threw him into a deep despond

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

despond

2 of 2

verb

di-ˈspänd How to pronounce despond (audio)
as in to despair
to lose all hope or confidence we must not despond even though we live in trying times

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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 despond
Noun
Lonely and addicted to her social media feeds, Selena plunged into a deep despond and filmed her death-by-overdose on Snap. — Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2024 The slough of Mardenborough's despond comes towards the end of the film when a crash at the Nürburgring results in the death of a spectator. — Elana Scherr, Car and Driver, 11 Aug. 2023 Animal spirits might buoy up markets again, or investors might sink back into the sort of despond that ended 2015, but sentiment currently offers little guide. — James MacKintosh, WSJ, 20 Dec. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despond
  1. sadness
  2. despair
  3. depression
  4. desperation
  5. melancholy
  6. sorrow
  7. gloom
  8. mournfulness
Noun
  • The girls spend the day together — Laura has made an entire treasure hunt to celebrate Good Eagle’s birthday — and while there are moments of joy, there’s a lot of sadness weighing down on their tiny shoulders, too.
    — Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 11 July 2026
  • Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez expressed his sadness over the recent deaths in the country’s south.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • Detainees had little access to recreational activities and time outside, which mental health experts say exacerbates their despair.
    — Perla Trevizo, ProPublica, 3 July 2026
  • Whether the episode amounted to anything beyond hearsay amid the ubiquitous sense of mass confusion and despair remains a question mark.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
Definition of despair
Noun
  • That occurs along a very typical-looking site that has a roughly 2,000 meter depression at the location of spreading, flanked by a series of rugged ridges.
    — John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2026
  • In 2019, the agency approved Johnson & Johnson’s Spravato, an esketamine nasal spray, for treatment-resistant depression in adults (it was later OK’d as a standalone depression treatment).
    — Lizzy Lawrence, STAT, 8 July 2026
Definition of depression
Noun
  • Many anecdotes are from people who tried more conventional medicine for digestive issues and, from a place of desperation, decided to look elsewhere for solutions.
    — Shelby Hartman, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • Moreover, the series unpacks the heartwrenching realities of social inequity and how desperation can transform into shocking acts of violence.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 8 July 2026
Definition of desperation
Noun
  • Beneath all the sensuality and beauty, there’s also a lingering melancholy that feels very familiar to me.
    — Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 16 June 2026
  • Don Hertzfeldt occasionally comes to mind for a similarly pervasive mood of questioning, philosophical melancholy.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 12 June 2026
Definition of melancholy
Noun
  • The clouds begin to part The clouds of grief and sorrow that had enveloped Gounder with the approach of the World Cup were dispersed by the bright orange sun of a New York Knicks championship, the team’s first in 53 years.
    — PJ Green, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2026
  • From shabby apartments to art experiments to filthy needles—with echoes of Patti Smith and Rebecca Makkai—Adler conjures an era of sorrow borne by too many, too young.
    — Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026
Definition of sorrow
Noun
  • The broader mood tracks right alongside, with 40% expecting AI to be bad for society over the next twenty years against 16% who expect good, the gloom running deepest among adults under 30, and 63% saying the whole thing is moving too fast.
    — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
  • The partying turned to gloom after the temblors.
    — Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of gloom
Noun
  • Power Ballad should be breezy and fun, with that twist of mournfulness that Carney is always so adept at pulling off.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 29 May 2026
Definition of mournfulness

Phrases Containing despond

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despoliations
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Cite this Entry

“Despond.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despond. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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