despondency

noun

di-ˈspän-dən-sē How to pronounce despondency (audio)
Definition of despondencynext
1
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits in despondency because he couldn't seem to settle into a lasting relationship

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in despair
the state of being discouraged in their despondency they seemingly forgot that losing teams can become winning teams in a single season

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3
as in desperation
utter loss of hope never once gave into despondency and self-pity during her long recovery from her injuries in the car crash

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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 despondency Instead, a combination of internal disputes, instability around Alvaro Arbeloa’s position and the fact that several players are facing an uncertain future means the picture is one of discord and despondency. — Guillermo Rai, New York Times, 5 May 2026 At each meeting, trustees face outrage over the 1,000 pink slips issued to district staff and parent despondency over the closure of preschool programs and other services. — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 23 Apr. 2026 But while some like Nazanin feel a despondency heading into the new year, for others, hope springs eternal. — Leila Gharagozlou, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026 There are delicate parallels in O’Halloran’s screenplay showing the different ways in which the Evans men deal with their despondencies. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for despondency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despondency
  1. sadness
  2. despair
  3. desperation
  4. depression
  5. dismay
  6. hopelessness
  7. melancholy
  8. sorrow
Noun
  • 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
  • Scott is tremendous and tragic in the film, maybe more so in its moments of dark humor than in its final beats of near operatic sadness.
    — Joe Reid, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • If there’s plenty to despair about in Krux, Vahl also shows how all is not totally lost.
    — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026
  • His life moved from pain to promise, despair to hope, and perhaps as humanly possible, from sinner to saint.
    — Steven D. Reske, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of despair
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
  • And to my family’s dismay, more good books are being published every week.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Just like that, months of dismay — and his 0-for-3 start to the afternoon — were forgotten.
    — Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of dismay
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
  • 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
  • With her toadstool-like jet-black perm and dark red lipstick, Haru is a striking presence, the sensuousness of her moves conveying both longing and sorrow.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Oakley and Reid lean so heavily into Elinor and Marianne’s crushing disappointments and the forces holding them back in a period of vast gender inequity, that their sorrows shove the characters’ more captivating qualities to the side.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of sorrow

Browse Nearby Words

despondence
despondency
despondent
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Cite this Entry

“Despondency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despondency. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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