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

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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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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
  • Through such simple but evocative images, Zhang creates a whole world of suspicion and sadness.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Throughout, there’s a lingering sadness, which is properly explored in a superb episode made up of a trifecta of flashbacks, and his dour constitution still pairs perfectly with Helen’s reassuring nature.
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • What really sets Black Doves apart, though, are its lovable characters and its beguiling mix of laughs and tears, which flirt with existential despair without ever fully tipping into it.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2026
  • The throngs of freedmen and women only compounded white Georgians’ despair.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of despair
Noun
  • It’s found to result in improved coping, increased mental clarity, better emotion regulation, reduced depression, and ironically less loneliness.
    — Cheryl Fenton, Flow Space, 5 Nov. 2026
  • Anxiety and depression are common symptoms of the condition that intensify in the days leading up to a woman’s period.
    — IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of depression
Noun
  • But across this wolf may cry, her breathy delivery becomes so uniform that longing, frustration, and romantic desperation frequently sound indistinguishable.
    — Precious Fondren, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Our community is dying; there’s an underlying sense of desperation, grief and pride that can both protect and suffocate out of a need to survive – this film is ultimately a love letter to us, with a sense of knowing.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of desperation
Noun
  • The vestiges of his fading memory flash by with a haunting plainness, the melancholy of all this Americana and the sadness of a mind ravaged by time strike the viewer plainly at the end of this maximalist piece of life-writing.
    — Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The question for me is whether or not Lloyd will also manage to capture the melancholy of a deceptively serious play, notwithstanding its reputation.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of melancholy
Noun
  • Words cannot express the profound sorrow our department and community feel tonight over the loss of our fallen hero, who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to Lakewood.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 6 Nov. 2026
  • What feels like a weight of helplessness and sorrow on our shoulders may, with enough space, also reflect our remarkable capacities for strength, steadfastness, and compassion.
    — Robert M. Kinast, STAT, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of sorrow
Noun
  • Defying early predictions of gloom, e-commerce majors witnessed a sales uptick of approximately 25 percent over the previous year.
    — Mayu Saini, Footwear News, 9 Nov. 2026
  • The sun is shining to pierce the gloom / Where sanity will rule and roses bloom.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 8 Nov. 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
despond
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Cite this Entry

“Despond.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despond. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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