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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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
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Recent Examples of despondency
That realization, though, is key to Stephen’s curdling idealism in the film, a moral collapse that Gosling gives urgency and despondency.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 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
Much of the Shamblins’ lawsuit — echoing past claims of wrongdoing by families of users who were allegedly mistreated or supported in their bad acts by ChatGPT and other AI — traces his descent into despondency.
—Adam Carlson, PEOPLE, 11 Nov. 2025
But, uh, do think like, uh, action is the, antidote to despondency.
—Outside Online, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despondency
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 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
Much of the Shamblins’ lawsuit — echoing past claims of wrongdoing by families of users who were allegedly mistreated or supported in their bad acts by ChatGPT and other AI — traces his descent into despondency.
—Adam Carlson, PEOPLE, 11 Nov. 2025
But, uh, do think like, uh, action is the, antidote to despondency.
—Outside Online, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despondency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despondency
Noun
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There’s both comfort in finding myself in that child’s face, and also sadness.—
Benny Peterson,
Vogue,
4 May 2026
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Amid the sadness and uncertainty, though, one moment captured the aviation community rallying around its own.—
Emma Tucker,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
Noun
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The obituaries, social media posts, and GoFundMe pages capture the utter despair of the families, though none of them reckon with the decision not to get the vitamin K shot.—
Lee Hutchinson,
ArsTechnica,
6 May 2026
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The obituaries, social media posts and GoFundMe pages capture the utter despair of the families, though none of them reckon with the decision not to get the vitamin K shot.—
Duaa Eldeib,
ProPublica,
6 May 2026
Noun
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If the Lakers are going to find a new level of desperation and resilience to avoid a sweep – answers better emerge on the horizon.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
10 May 2026
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Then, in a time of desperation, in the middle of March, Brown looked to Clarkson for the spark that has become synonymous with his career as a bench scorer.—
James L. Edwards III,
New York Times,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Children are also on screens now more than ever, which is believed to contribute to more anxiety, depression, aggression and hyperactivity.—
Stacker,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
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Schizoaffective disorder is a mental health condition that is marked by a mix of schizophrenia symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions, and mood disorder symptoms, such as depression, mania and a milder form of mania called hypomania, per the Mayo Clinic.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Candor can cause dismay in the UConn Health executive suite.—
Kevin Rennie,
Hartford Courant,
9 May 2026
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To add to their dismay, there isn’t much technological difference between the Connect and the Port.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
Noun
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The other featured a comeback that saw hopelessness turn into jubilation.—
Peter Warren,
Houston Chronicle,
28 Mar. 2026
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For her and many other Iranians who spoke to CNN – their surnames withheld to protect their identities – the past three weeks have been filled with a sense of hopelessness and fear.—
Leila Gharagozlou,
CNN Money,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
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His reputation, as captured by obituaries in the Guardian and the Times of London, is one of genteel melancholy and precise social observation.—
Charlie Tyson,
Harpers Magazine,
21 Apr. 2026
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Still, the achievement carried a touch of melancholy for Lovell.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Unique is meant to embody that racial trauma, but Moore doesn’t possess the grit necessary to make the pain and sorrow resonate.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
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The reader feels the moment’s vitality and presence, and the sorrow at its loss, but not because Ford insists on it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Despondency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despondency. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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