as in desperation
utter loss of hope
the fans' hopelessness was dispelled as their team mounted a comeback
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Recent Examples of hopelessness
These could include feelings of overwhelming sadness (despondence), a sense that life will never get better (hopelessness) or actual thoughts of killing themselves.
—
Dr. Theresa T. Nguyen, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Like regular depression, SAD can cause negative feelings like hopelessness, worthlessness, irritability, and guilt; fatigue or reduced energy; a loss of interest in hobbies and activities; and even physical aches and pains (including headaches, cramps, and digestive problems).
—Maggie O'Neill, SELF, 20 Oct. 2025
The film contrasts the picturesque Alpine scenery of Tyrol with the hopelessness and isolation of the people who live in this landscape involuntarily – rejected asylum seekers placed on top of the Bürglkopf mountain.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 16 Oct. 2025
Strangers became friends and friends became family in a crowd that has felt anger, despair and hopelessness before finally feeling some happiness.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
And in a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 40% of American teens reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2023, up from 30% in 2013.
—Krista Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Oct. 2025
At New York Fashion Week, beauty acted as a moment of reprise from the hopelessness many are feeling in the current state of the world.
—Essence, 19 Sep. 2025
The film certainly steers clear of Emmerichian overdrive, but it is suffused with hopelessness — on both an intimate and an epic scale.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Today that sense of hopelessness has been replaced by a sense of determination and a good deal more hope.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 6 Sep. 2025
Dr. Theresa T. Nguyen, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Like regular depression, SAD can cause negative feelings like hopelessness, worthlessness, irritability, and guilt; fatigue or reduced energy; a loss of interest in hobbies and activities; and even physical aches and pains (including headaches, cramps, and digestive problems).
—Maggie O'Neill, SELF, 20 Oct. 2025
The film contrasts the picturesque Alpine scenery of Tyrol with the hopelessness and isolation of the people who live in this landscape involuntarily – rejected asylum seekers placed on top of the Bürglkopf mountain.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 16 Oct. 2025
Strangers became friends and friends became family in a crowd that has felt anger, despair and hopelessness before finally feeling some happiness.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2025
And in a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 40% of American teens reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in 2023, up from 30% in 2013.
—Krista Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Oct. 2025
At New York Fashion Week, beauty acted as a moment of reprise from the hopelessness many are feeling in the current state of the world.
—Essence, 19 Sep. 2025
The film certainly steers clear of Emmerichian overdrive, but it is suffused with hopelessness — on both an intimate and an epic scale.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 19 Sep. 2025
Today that sense of hopelessness has been replaced by a sense of determination and a good deal more hope.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hopelessness
Noun
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Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing are already in celebration mode with locks into the final four, while Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports are in full desperation mode heading into the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway.—
Jordan Bianchi,
New York Times,
25 Oct. 2025
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In particular, Van Sant’s direction is at once intimate and explosive, framing the chaos with empathy, allowing the audience to feel the pulse of desperation behind every decision.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Postpartum depression can cause a range of symptoms, including intense feelings of sadness, anxiety, or despair that keeps new moms from being able to go about their daily life, per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).—
Korin Miller,
SELF,
28 Oct. 2025
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Business leaders should take note that anxiety without agency deepens despair.—
Melissa Jun Rowley,
Rolling Stone,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Regarding the Armani company, Nicolas Hieronimus, chief executive officer of L’Oréal, during a call Tuesday evening with analysts and journalists to discuss third-quarter and nine-months results reiterated sadness in the passing of Giorgio Armani, with whom the group collaborated for 40 years.—
Footwear News,
Footwear News,
21 Oct. 2025
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Keep in mind, sadness may not be the only emotion kids show.—
Hannah Nwoko,
Parents,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hopelessness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hopelessness. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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