Meaning & use

despondent

adjective·Advanced

Feeling deep discouragement or hopelessness.

See it in a sentence

She grew despondent after months of job rejections.

The team looked despondent walking off the field after their final loss of the season.

A note on using this word

Despondent describes a temporary state of low spirits caused by disappointment, distinct from depressed, which often refers to a longer-lasting condition.

Words with a similar meaning

dejecteddownheartedhopeless

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

hopefulupbeat

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