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
  • But negative sentiment –— such as expressing frustration or sadness — slightly decreased it.
    — Elise Haulund, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Some say there is a fine line between anguish or sadness — and laughter.
    — Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • Moving forward Growers who are moving on in the wake of the Del Monte collapse are experiencing a slew of emotions ranging from hope to despair.
    — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 23 Aug. 2026
  • At Rimini’s Catholic festival, Leo urges believers to confront unjust economic and technological systems, asserting that ‘there can be no enemies’ and hailing young Catholics as a hopeful antidote to despair.
    — Giada Zampano, Los Angeles Times, 22 Aug. 2026
Definition of despair
Noun
  • Many women who experience a miscarriage or stillbirth also develop symptoms of depression.
    — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 20 Aug. 2026
  • California, Colorado, Kentucky and New Jersey accuse Meta of designing the platforms to hook young users, fueling anxiety, depression and even suicide, and misleading consumers about their safety.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of depression
Noun
  • But in his desperation to find a Russian pressure point that could restart the peace process, Zelensky allowed preparations for the strikes to continue for several months this spring and early summer, both sources said.
    — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Mac Ghlionn paints a picture of desperation whereby the 65+ cohort must work to pay the bills, but the happier reality is that this is not your grandfather's 65.
    — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 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
  • Richards somehow had the fortitude to continue a grueling European tour in the middle of all this chaos and sorrow, but a stadium run through America at the end of the summer was simply too much to ask.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Prescott’s story is both a rallying cry and a tragic narrative full of sorrow.
    — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of sorrow
Noun
  • Bees avoid the gloom of the understory—with few flowers, there’s little to entice them—but wasps don’t mind it, and are attracted to the helleborines by the promise of an intoxicating nectar (itself made by a symbiosis with fungi).
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Amid the gloom, one local nonprofit group is working to celebrate iconic cartoons to support the animators of today — and remind people of the joy of animation.
    — Marah Eakin, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 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 27 Aug. 2026.

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