Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

despondence

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of despondence

1 a state or spell of low spirits

  • her slumping posture betrayed a growing despondence
Synonyms of despondence

blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolation, despond, despondency, disconsolateness, dispiritedness, doldrums, dolefulness, downheartedness, dreariness, dumps, forlornness, gloom, gloominess, glumness, heartsickness, joylessness, melancholy, miserableness, mopes, mournfulness, oppression, sadness, sorrowfulness, unhappiness
Words Related to despondence

melancholia, self-pity

anguish, dolor, grief, mourning, somberness, sorrow, woefulness

agony, distress, pain

misery, woe, wretchedness

discouragement, disheartenment

moodiness

despair, desperation, hopelessness, self-despair

boredom, ennui, tedium

dismalness, drear, morbidness, moroseness, morosity

regret, rue
Near Antonyms of despondence

gaiety (also gayety), gayness, glee, gleefulness, humor, jollity, joviality, lightheartedness, merriment, mirth, mirthfulness

cheer, cheerfulness, cheeriness, hopefulness, optimism, sunniness

content, contentedness, contentment, satisfaction

delight, gratification
Antonyms of despondence

bliss, blissfulness, ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration, exuberance, exultation, felicity, gladness, gladsomeness, happiness, heaven, intoxication, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, jubilation, rapture, rapturousness

2 utter loss of hope

  • the ability to endure defeat without despondence has allowed him to weather the ups and downs of an acting career
Synonyms of despondence

despair, desperation, despond, despondency, forlornness, hopelessness
Words Related to despondence

blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolation, disconsolateness, dispiritedness, doldrums, dolor, downheartedness, dreariness, dumps, gloom, gloominess, joylessness, melancholy, mopes, oppression, sadness, sorrow, unhappiness

self-despair, self-pity

dolefulness, mournfulness, sorrowfulness, woefulness

agony, distress, pain

misery, woe, wretchedness

cynicism, pessimism

acceptance, resignation
Phrases Synonymous with despondence

slough of despond
Near Antonyms of despondence

cheer, cheerfulness, sunniness

optimism

gaiety (also gayety), glee, gleefulness, jollity, joviality, lightheartedness, merriment, mirth, mirthfulness

bliss, blissfulness, ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration, exuberance, exultation, gladness, happiness, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, jubilation, rapture, rapturousness
Antonyms of despondence

hope, hopefulness

Learn More about despondence

  1. Dictionary: Definition of despondence

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up despondence? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

immure

to enclose within walls

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. synergy Mueller files Cohen details.

  2. slumgullion From the broadcast of 'It Happened on Fifth Avenue'

  3. endgame Marvel's Avengers: Endgame

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games