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Based partly on the Latin iacere, "to throw", dejection means literally "cast down"—that is, "downcast". Like melancholy, gloom, and even sadness, dejection seems to have been declining in use for many years; instead, we now seem to prefer depression (whose roots mean basically "a pressing down"). Since depression is also the word used by doctors, lots of people now assume that anyone depressed should be taking an antidepressant; if we went back to dejected and dejection, we might not be so quick to make that assumption.
Synonyms
- blue devils
- blues
- depression
- desolation
- despond
- despondence
- despondency
- disconsolateness
- dispiritedness
- doldrums
- dolefulness
- downheartedness
- dreariness
- dumps
- forlornness
- gloom
- gloominess
- glumness
- heartsickness
- joylessness
- melancholy
- miserableness
- mopes
- mournfulness
- oppression
- sadness
- sorrowfulness
- unhappiness
Examples of dejection in a Sentence
Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 19 Nov. 2024
The day after a high-stakes presidential election usually brings elation on one side and dejection for the other.
—Daniel Wine, CNN, 6 Nov. 2024
Through June 2019, Zoe’s Kitchen was still rapidly deteriorating, and its financial losses and worker dejection were taking a toll on Cava.
—Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2024
Watson missed out on an additional $40,000 in the bonus round, prompting him to moan in dejection.
—Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY, 10 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for dejection 
Dictionary Entries Near dejection
Cite this Entry
“Dejection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dejection. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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dejection
noun
Medical Definition
dejection
noun
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