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
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
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
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
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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Fear, joy, surprise, sadness, excitement.
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Exceeding expectations As a trip set mainly in concentration camps, sadness is often the top expectation.
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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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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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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Much to Iraq's dismay, Mbappé only has to beat one goalkeeper and not three.
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The sight of the lectern being carried out onto Downing Street, followed by the short, poignant farewell address, has taken on a ritual familiarity, with each departure colored by particular dismay.
Noun
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But where some might see hopelessness, Ortiz sees an opportunity for connection.
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And when young people feel disconnected or believe systems are unresponsive to their daily experiences, that disconnection can deepen isolation and hopelessness.
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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Parting is such sweet sorrow, but these guys aren’t going gently into the night just yet.
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These silences, heavy with sorrow, then adorn the beloved like precious jewels, conveying the idea that only a profound grief can beget such beauty.
Cite this Entry
“Despondency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despondency. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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