1
as in desperate
feeling or showing no hope
after four days and still no word that the missing plane had been located, the relatives were despondent
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in depressed
feeling unhappiness
feeling despondent over the death of another close friend
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 despondent
At what was supposed to be his final asylum hearing on March 20, Rodríguez Parra’s lawyer sounded despondent.
—
Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, 18 July 2025
In May 2023, Kesha released Gag Order, a dark, despondent exploration of her trauma, with minimalist production from Rick Rubin and the image of the pop star with a blast bag over her head as its album artwork.
—Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 3 July 2025
The prosecutors remained seated, subdued and by all appearances despondent.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 2 July 2025
Gillan’s Felicia, who is both a despondent nurse and a lonely divorcée, nicely illustrates why.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for despondent
Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, 18 July 2025
In May 2023, Kesha released Gag Order, a dark, despondent exploration of her trauma, with minimalist production from Rick Rubin and the image of the pop star with a blast bag over her head as its album artwork.
—Jason Lipshutz, Billboard, 3 July 2025
The prosecutors remained seated, subdued and by all appearances despondent.
—Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 2 July 2025
Gillan’s Felicia, who is both a despondent nurse and a lonely divorcée, nicely illustrates why.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for despondent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despondent
Adjective
-
Both teams are desperate to avoid an 0-2 start, and Johnson’s return adds another layer of intrigue to a sneaky-big early season matchup.—
Andy Scholes,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Muncy had played only a handful of games since early June, Edman had been out since early August, and Vesia returned to a bullpen in desperate need of a boost after a series of recent letdowns.—
Chad Jennings,
New York Times,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Unemployment has stayed relatively low in part because of dampened demand for workers as well as a depressed supply (people aging out of the workforce as well as reductions in immigrant workers).—
Alicia Wallace,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
-
This time producer Brad Ingelsby tapped Mark Ruffalo as a depressed and traumatized FBI agent leading a task force investigating a series of home invasions targeting drug dens in the area.—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But the situation is not hopeless.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Dealing with the horrors of the situation in Gaza within the sterile environment of a call center, its workers are feeling increasingly hopeless, caught in the political crossfire of an escalating situation.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
My research team works hard to keep the email addresses up to date, but executives keep changing their addresses to avoid having to deal with unhappy customers.—
Christopher Elliott,
Mercury News,
10 Sep. 2025
-
But few seemed to leave unhappy.—
Jonathan Hawkins,
CNN Money,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But now, the King and the royal family have received very sad news that will change things going forward.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Shooting scenes in wide or medium shots that sometimes break into Hsiao-Lee’s harrowing point-of-view, cinematographer Yu Jing-Pin depicts a world without much color or hope, while sets by Huang Mei-Ching and Tu Shuo-Feng emphasize a sad and impoverished existence.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Hill’s 21-year-old son told WXYZ that his whole family is heartbroken.—
Jennifer Rodriguez,
Kansas City Star,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Over the past half-decade, the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival has been called off three times, leaving behind unrealized lineups, swampy farmlands, and heartbroken fans.—
Audrey Gibbs,
The Tennessean,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
People are despairing over the Supreme Court and its deference to the president.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 July 2025
-
Alcaraz swung slice serves past a despairing Lehečka’s forehand, while the Czech’s deliveries leapt up off the grass, contorting Alcaraz into uncomfortable return positions.—
James Hansen,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
Adjective
-
These behaviors create miserable workplace cultures that lead to a big retention and employee engagement problem.—
Ellen Whitlock Baker,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
-
But the Broncos will look to confuse him with multiple looks and make the Titans one dimensional to make his life miserable.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
7 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despondent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despondent. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share