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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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Recent Examples of despond
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
Their partnership—in fighting Communism and reviving the U.S. economy after the despond of the 1970s—changed American debate.
—
The Editorial Board,
WSJ,
1 Oct. 2020
On its best nights, the N.B.A. offers a free-jazz apex, as good teams (none of which are found within hundreds of miles of that basketball despond in New York City) offer jukes and passes and shooting.
—
Michael Powell,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2016
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
Their partnership—in fighting Communism and reviving the U.S. economy after the despond of the 1970s—changed American debate.
—
The Editorial Board,
WSJ,
1 Oct. 2020
On its best nights, the N.B.A. offers a free-jazz apex, as good teams (none of which are found within hundreds of miles of that basketball despond in New York City) offer jukes and passes and shooting.
—
Michael Powell,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despond
Noun
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Each room explores a different human emotion — joy and love, fear and hope, sadness and gratitude, anger and resilience.
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Working again with collaborators Adrian Utley (Portishead) and Shahzad Ismaily (Ceramic Dog) and joined by Nick Hakim and drummer Tom Skinner (the Smile), Orton uses The Ground Above to create weighty songs that deal with both joy and sadness.
Noun
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Rather than wallow in the despair of his wife's death, Robin decided to start Kay Days, a non-profit that pays for patients' parking on select days and during the week of his beloved wife's birthday.
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That poor driver had to listen to me sniffle in shameful despair all the way back to the city.
Noun
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About 10% of fathers develop symptoms like depression and anxiety during the perinatal period, which lasts from pregnancy through the first year after childbirth.
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Many Americans rely on ACA coverage to afford medications to treat various diseases such as diabetes, asthma, depression and autoimmune diseases.
Noun
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Tensions flared Saturday as desperation grew among anguished residents of the Venezuelan state of La Guaira, where rescuers and civilians searched for earthquake survivors amid a sharply rising death toll.
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But the show repeatedly undercuts that point of view by halfway reinforcing the age-old American assumption that crime is born of poor individual choices among an uncivilized populace, not of poverty, desperation, and preservation, both self and communal.
Noun
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Beneath all the sensuality and beauty, there’s also a lingering melancholy that feels very familiar to me.
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Early Years Eichenberg recounted his childhood with some melancholy.
Noun
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Kara is addicted to drowning her sorrows and avoiding responsibility, but learns to embrace heroism after embarking on a quest for revenge alongside Ruthye (Eve Ridley).
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Parting is such sweet sorrow, but these guys aren’t going gently into the night just yet.
Noun
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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.
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The partying turned to gloom after the temblors.
Noun
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Power Ballad should be breezy and fun, with that twist of mournfulness that Carney is always so adept at pulling off.
Cite this Entry
“Despond.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despond. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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