DESPONDENT Synonyms: 175 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'despondent' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of despondent are despairing , desperate , and hopeless . While all these words mean "having lost all or nearly all hope," despondent implies a deep dejection arising from a conviction of the uselessness of further effort. // despondent about yet another rejection

Q: Where would 'despairing' be a reasonable alternative to 'despondent'?

The words despairing and despondent can be used in similar contexts, but despairing suggests the slipping away of all hope and often despondency. // despairing appeals for the return of the kidnapped child

Q: When would 'desperate' be a good substitute for 'despondent'?

The synonyms desperate and despondent are sometimes interchangeable, but desperate implies despair that prompts reckless action or violence in the face of defeat or frustration. // one last desperate attempt to turn the tide of battle

Q: In what contexts can 'hopeless' take the place of 'despondent'?

While in some cases nearly identical to despondent , hopeless suggests despair and the cessation of effort or resistance and often implies acceptance or resignation. // the situation of the trapped miners is hopeless

despondent

adjective

di-ˈspän-dənt

Definition of despondent

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

as in depressed

feeling unhappiness feeling despondent over the death of another close friend

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective despondent differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of despondent are despairing, desperate, and hopeless. While all these words mean "having lost all or nearly all hope," despondent implies a deep dejection arising from a conviction of the uselessness of further effort.

despondent about yet another rejection

Where would despairing be a reasonable alternative to despondent?

The words despairing and despondent can be used in similar contexts, but despairing suggests the slipping away of all hope and often despondency.

despairing appeals for the return of the kidnapped child

When would desperate be a good substitute for despondent?

The synonyms desperate and despondent are sometimes interchangeable, but desperate implies despair that prompts reckless action or violence in the face of defeat or frustration.

one last desperate attempt to turn the tide of battle

In what contexts can hopeless take the place of despondent?

While in some cases nearly identical to despondent, hopeless suggests despair and the cessation of effort or resistance and often implies acceptance or resignation.

the situation of the trapped miners is hopeless

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 Feeling despondent, with little hope for the future or enjoyment of the present? — Danielle Marie Holland, Parents, 6 June 2026 People might become despondent that AI is ultimately going to be our end. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026 Even loyalists complain about the mounting restrictions and repression, and once-upbeat businesspeople are now despondent. — Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2026 At 11, despondent over the course of her young life, Cox attempted suicide by swallowing all of her mother’s pills. — Lizzie Hyman, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for despondent

Recent Examples of Synonyms for despondent

Adjective

After war broke out over religious and political differences in 1642, people had to flee when their villages became war zones, while other places were filled with desperate refugees.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
In Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers played in their franchise-record ninth consecutive one-score game, but Minnesota (3-0) held on, 23-16, after batting down a desperate Hail Mary heave as time expired.

— Andrew Greif, NBC news, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of desperate

Adjective

For example, compared to young men, young women who completed the survey were about twice as likely to have felt persistently sad and hopeless, had poor mental health, seriously considered suicide or attempted suicide.

— Crystal Cederna, The Conversation, 25 Sep. 2026
Cregger uses first-person-shooter point-of-view shots, with the long barrel of a rifle or automatic weapon lining up our sights; one running gag sees Bryan, completely hopeless with guns, having to shoot the locks off of gates.

— Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of hopeless

Adjective

Premiering in 2004 on Fox, The Swan cast women who self-reported as unhappy about their appearances in a grueling competition to see who could pull off the most profound physical transformation.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Sep. 2026
More Florida customers dissatisfied Count Brandon Reich among Florida’s unhappy property insurance customers.

— Ron Hurtibise, Sun Sentinel, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of unhappy

Adjective

Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire honored Macy at a county Board of Supervisors meeting Wednesday, telling community leaders that her death had left his office and the wider community heartbroken.

— Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Daria’s heartbroken family declined to comment on her death Saturday.

— Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of heartbroken

Adjective

Introduced in a state of drunken collapse, Anderson — fearful, bitter, despairing, protective — is quite magnificent limning different levels of intoxication.

— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026
Smashed with the instep of Mbappe’s right foot, the ball arced viciously into the top-right corner, beyond Bounou’s despairing dive.

— Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 9 July 2026

Definition of despairing

Adjective

The Heat finished a miserable 15-67 that season, a year in which hope was sometimes hard to find among veterans.

— Chris Perkins, Sun Sentinel, 24 Sep. 2026
The Chargers have been horrendous through two games this season, and that's coming from a miserable Dolphins fan.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of miserable

Browse Nearby Words

despondency

despondent

despondently

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Despondent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despondent. Accessed 3 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of despondent

adjective

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

tittle

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Oct. 2

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes