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
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2
as in depressed
feeling unhappiness
feeling despondent over the death of another close friend
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Recent Examples of despondent
Her despondent facial reaction even became a meme online.
—
Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2025
Instead, Larson will win it behind the strength of Hendrick Motorsports, the New York Yankees of NASCAR — setting him up for another championship-contending Cup season and leaving all motorsport storytellers despondent, wondering what could’ve been.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2025
Gunderson’s Hertha is fierce, witty and courageous and her Marie is cowering, heartbroken and despondent.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025
Mazen was increasingly despondent.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despondent
Lexy Perez, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Feb. 2025
Instead, Larson will win it behind the strength of Hendrick Motorsports, the New York Yankees of NASCAR — setting him up for another championship-contending Cup season and leaving all motorsport storytellers despondent, wondering what could’ve been.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 16 Feb. 2025
Gunderson’s Hertha is fierce, witty and courageous and her Marie is cowering, heartbroken and despondent.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025
Mazen was increasingly despondent.
—Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 27 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for despondent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despondent
Adjective
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Those tournaments will continue over the next few days, with teams on the bubble trying to pick up enough wins to shine up their resumes, while smaller schools desperate for their only shot to dance.—
Becky Sullivan,
NPR,
14 Mar. 2025
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Seizing the ball inside his own half, the Argentine midfielder evaded a desperate lunge before surging forward and feeding Beto for a late chance that the striker could not convert.—
Patrick Boyland,
The Athletic,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The detective here, blending a couple of characters from the book, is Inspector Leach, a depressed drinker so unkempt one wonders why he hasn’t been put on administrative leave.—
Robert Lloyd,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2025
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To my dismay, the leader started feeling depressed rather than taking the actions that were most required.—
Sonal Jain,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Previewing the playoffs with a playoff team draft Finding 3 positive thoughts for each of the NHL’s 15 most hopeless teams 16 stats: Blues’ turnaround, Lane Hutson’s stardom and Stars’ struggles Comments D Dan N. · 4h 17m ago Helle is thee best.—
Scott Powers,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
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Mimi seesaws between hopeless heroin addict and righteous truth-teller.—
Jeffrey Seller,
Vulture,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Despite his close relationship with Trump, Elon Musk is unhappy about tariffs, which stand to hurt the business empire of the world’s richest man.—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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There have even been reports of police being called to deal with the rowdy behavior, not to mention some theater employees who are unhappy about the cleanup required.—
Lisa Respers France,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Kwong grew up hearing stories of every kind about Manzanar—scary, sad, funny and infuriating.—
Rachel Ng,
Smithsonian Magazine,
27 Mar. 2025
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Yet, whatever the deal means for Paul, Weiss, its acquiescence to Trump marks a sad day for the legal profession—or what once was a profession, and is now just another business.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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After raising the baby for five months, Murray, heartbroken, handed him over to his biological parents.—
Alexandra Chaidez,
NBC News,
19 Mar. 2025
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But in a confessional, Stacey weeps while sympathizing with her heartbroken friend.—
Abigail Adams,
People.com,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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By turns giddy, anxious, and despairing, these poems have endeared him to generations of ordinary readers who find in the tempestuous and ultimately brokenhearted poet a strikingly modern and profoundly accessible figure.—
Daniel Mendelsohn,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2025
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When a betrayal comes — and there are many in this tender but despairing film — the horror becomes unbearable, for Lucia and, almost, for the viewer, straight through to a horrific ending.—
Erik Piepenburg,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Before Minecraft, the turnout for major films at the box office has been middling to miserable.—
Tim Lammers,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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Daryl was born in 1952, four years after the club’s last championship and just in time for four decades of miserable baseball on the lakeshore.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
8 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despondent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despondent. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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