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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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
  • Each new body part is tinged with a bit of pleasure, pushing up against the edges of my sadness and embracing it chummily.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • The Hole Truth And Nothing Butt, telling the story of these Texan wildmen and their real-life moments of brilliance and hilarity, with revelations of profound sadness.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 20 July 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • That sense of despair could be because the album captured the band in a state of crisis.
    — Sam Goldner, Pitchfork, 19 July 2026
  • Rayan Cherki captured the sense of shock and despair among the France players on a day when their World Cup dream died, in a 2-0 defeat to Spain that was as emphatic as the scoreline suggests.
    — Stuart James, New York Times, 18 July 2026
Definition of despair
Noun
  • Its blockbuster antidepressant Prozac transformed the treatment of depression and fueled Lilly's last major sales boom before the GLP-1 explosion.
    — Angelica Peebles, CNBC, 16 July 2026
  • Research shows that these students are more likely to have poorer physical health, higher rates of depression and lower GPAs than their peers.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026
Definition of depression
Noun
  • Anna Marian Block, a spokesperson for the Republican Governors Association, said Moore’s trip was a sign of desperation for Georgia Democrats, not strength.
    — Tia Mitchell, AJC.com, 15 July 2026
  • Morocco’s quality and desperation ultimately proved the difference as Saibari scored for the third group game running before Soufiane Rahimi’s second-half cameo got them the win.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 11 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
  • As the genre’s name suggests, country music tends to be preoccupied with place; the charts are full of tributes to the satisfaction of being firmly rooted in a small town, and the sorrows of leaving it behind.
    — Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 19 July 2026
  • Bet your bottom dollar that Son Heung-min, LAFC’s $26-million man — the record MLS fee for an incoming player — would peel himself off the mat and clear away the cobwebs and the sorrow of the past few weeks and months.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 18 July 2026
Definition of sorrow
Noun
  • One way out of the doom and gloom would be for Winnipeg to announce the aforementioned Hellebuyck appeasement.
    — Murat Ates, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • That is to say, it was preceded by soothsayings of unparalleled gloom, which faded at the first kick of a ball.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 17 July 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
desponded
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Cite this Entry

“Despond.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despond. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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