despondence

noun

di-ˈspän-dən(t)s How to pronounce despondence (audio)
Definition of despondencenext
1
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits her slumping posture betrayed a growing despondence

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in desperation
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 & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 despondence Liborio speaks with a mix of rage and despondence about his situation; complaining about the pejorative labels those around him call him to diminish his existence. — Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026 From shock to anger to despondence. — Ashley Sharp, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026 These could include feelings of overwhelming sadness (despondence), a sense that life will never get better (hopelessness) or actual thoughts of killing themselves. — Dr. Theresa T. Nguyen, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025 Amidst the initial confusion that followed the freezing of USAID grants, the mood across the humanitarian sector was one of panic, anxiety, and quiet despondence. — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025 Democrats have already begun the autopsy on the election results as Harris supporters express a mix of outrage and despondence. — Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 7 Nov. 2024 Baade, who remembers his own father’s despondence when the Braves left town, doesn’t outright dismiss the idea that the Brewers could leave, agreeing that a smaller-market team is at a disadvantage. — Jr Radcliffe, Journal Sentinel, 17 Feb. 2023 Amy's behavior demonstrates how scoring high in each of these components facilitates a flexible, confident and passionate approach to life and ensures a strong degree of resiliency when faced with anxiety, despondence and overwhelm. — Roberta Moore, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2023 Cowboys owner Jerry Jones recalls his own quiet despondence when Dallas began the season not only with a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but a five-game loss of quarterback Dak Prescott to a thumb fracture. — Dallas News, 30 Oct. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despondence
  1. sadness
  2. desperation
  3. depression
  4. despair
  5. melancholy
  6. hopelessness
  7. mournfulness
  8. sorrow
Noun
  • Beat shows how so many of the sounds that were prevalent in the mid-’90s contained a unique, end-of-the century sadness.
    — Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
  • People can experience grief, sadness, relief, conflict or combinations of these emotions after any pregnancy outcome.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • With four great games to choose from, and desperation from half of the teams, this is can’t-miss baseball.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
  • What readers are saying The comments express strong criticism of Senate Republicans' last-minute legislative efforts before the midterm elections, suggesting these actions are driven by desperation rather than genuine concern for the public.
    — Theodoric Meyer, Washington Post, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of desperation
Noun
  • In April 2022, Wynonna and Ashley’s mother, Naomi Judd, died by suicide at 76 after a lifelong battle with depression.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The drug has been associated in recent years with high-profile figures such as Elon Musk, who said it was prescribed to him to treat depression.
    — Violet Jira, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of depression
Noun
  • The tone creeps into despair as the scales fall from Sutskever’s eyes.
    — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The cumulative effect of the bowl’s ambient violence (robbery, assault, and overdose abound) amounts to an open-air despair not unlike Fox News-style depictions of California as a wholesale war zone.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of despair
Noun
  • 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
  • On the one hand, there’s a fascination with collective joy and the forms of vernacular invention that aspire to it; on the other, there’s an underlying melancholy that points to the inevitability of isolation, an epistemology of loneliness.
    — Pablo Larios, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of melancholy
Noun
  • Women are more likely than men to report severe depression and hopelessness following breakups, but men are three to four times more likely to commit suicide.
    — George Loewenstein, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2026
  • This year's report finds that levels of persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness among high schoolers have fallen in recent years – from 42% in 2021, to 40% in 2023 and 33% in 2025.
    — Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of hopelessness
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
Noun
  • Because so many of Gunn’s friends died in San Francisco, a city where Gunn had found happiness and freedom, then these elegies are also a monument to a time of communal sorrow and mourning.
    — Colm Tóibín, Literary Hub, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Another decision that those who are rejected face, at least if anger is mixed in with sorrow, is where to direct that anger.
    — George Loewenstein, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of sorrow

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Cite this Entry

“Despondence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despondence. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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