despondency

noun

de·​spon·​den·​cy di-ˈspän-dən-sē How to pronounce despondency (audio)
: the state of being despondent or extremely low in spirits : dejection, hopelessness
sank into despondency while he was unemployed

Examples of despondency in a Sentence

in despondency because he couldn't seem to settle into a lasting relationship in their despondency they seemingly forgot that losing teams can become winning teams in a single season
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
He’s got no home, no close family, no Wi-Fi for when Callie Rose comes by his new-to-him trailer with hopes of doing her homework on her iPad. O’Connor wears Dusty’s despondency like a heavy blanket, shoulders slumped and eyes cast toward the dirt beneath his feet. Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 27 Jan. 2025 One day, her despondency was interrupted by a meeting with the chiefs of the Iroquois’ Six Nation Confederacy to honor her efforts to bring back the bald eagle. Grrlscientist, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025 But with over 115,000 views, her message has struck a nerve among young professionals grappling with a growing sense of corporate despondency. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025 And speaking of tariffs, President Trump’s incoming administration has spread alarm and despondency with its scattergun references to possible tariff barriers. Neil Winton, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for despondency 

Word History

Etymology

see despond entry 1

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of despondency was in 1653

Dictionary Entries Near despondency

Cite this Entry

“Despondency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/despondency. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

despondency

noun
de·​spond·​en·​cy
di-ˈspän-dən-sē
: the state of being despondent : dejection, discouragement

More from Merriam-Webster on despondency

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