1
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits
he sank into a crushing despond after his wife left him
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in despair
utter loss of hope
loss of his job threw him into a deep despond
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to despair
to lose all hope or confidence
we must not despond even though we live in trying times
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of despond
Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2024
The slough of Mardenborough's despond comes towards the end of the film when a crash at the Nürburgring results in the death of a spectator.
—Elana Scherr, Car and Driver, 11 Aug. 2023
Their partnership—in fighting Communism and reviving the U.S. economy after the despond of the 1970s—changed American debate.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 1 Oct. 2020
Animal spirits might buoy up markets again, or investors might sink back into the sort of despond that ended 2015, but sentiment currently offers little guide.
—James MacKintosh, WSJ, 20 Dec. 2018
On its best nights, the N.B.A. offers a free-jazz apex, as good teams (none of which are found within hundreds of miles of that basketball despond in New York City) offer jukes and passes and shooting.
—Michael Powell, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2016
Noun
Lonely and addicted to her social media feeds, Selena plunged into a deep despond and filmed her death-by-overdose on Snap.
—Paul Solotaroff, Rolling Stone, 17 June 2024
The slough of Mardenborough's despond comes towards the end of the film when a crash at the Nürburgring results in the death of a spectator.
—Elana Scherr, Car and Driver, 11 Aug. 2023
Their partnership—in fighting Communism and reviving the U.S. economy after the despond of the 1970s—changed American debate.
—The Editorial Board, WSJ, 1 Oct. 2020
Animal spirits might buoy up markets again, or investors might sink back into the sort of despond that ended 2015, but sentiment currently offers little guide.
—James MacKintosh, WSJ, 20 Dec. 2018
On its best nights, the N.B.A. offers a free-jazz apex, as good teams (none of which are found within hundreds of miles of that basketball despond in New York City) offer jukes and passes and shooting.
—Michael Powell, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for despond
Noun
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Joe’s despair reminded me of a conversation my colleague Charlie Warzel had with the writer and technology theorist L. M. Sacasas in 2022.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
18 July 2025
-
What kind of despair would people feel upon the discovery that their source of joy, belonging, and meaning was a farce?—
Paul Bloom,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
Noun
-
Research has shown that women who have higher anxiety and depression often show signs of inflammation and elevated stress hormones, which can lead to poorer outcomes.—
Michelle Marchante
July 25,
Miami Herald,
25 July 2025
-
The National Hurricane Center continued Friday to track a low pressure system in the Gulf and said in its 8 p.m. advisory that development into the season’s next tropical depression or storm is no longer expected.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 July 2025
Noun
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But the obvious calculation behind this move illustrated the desperation of so many anonymous black showbiz performers (such as those who were paid to promote the Kamala Harris campaign) who eagerly demonstrate an unshakeable loyalty to the post-FDR legacy of Democratic Party devotion.—
Armond White,
National Review,
25 July 2025
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Advertisement Still, that so many Democrats spent the weekend obsessing over a relatively unknown figure in Austin, who represents about 200,000 people in a deep-blue district, shows the extent of their desperation.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
21 July 2025
Noun
-
Advertisement The answering note to its prevailing ironic treatment of Sir Walter is of course the melancholy and hint of regret that suffuse much of the novel’s tone.—
Brandon Taylor,
Time,
17 July 2025
-
Over a balmy, slowly dissipating summer, nothing really pushes or pulls our aimless hero in either direction, and in this state of happy stagnation, melancholy becomes a comfort blanket.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
9 July 2025
Noun
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Set in Taiwan in 1988, the intergenerational drama revolves around Hsiao-lee, a quiet and withdrawn girl, growing up in silent gloom.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
23 July 2025
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Barely discernible in the May gloom, a glint of purple shone from the jacaranda’s canopy; nearby, seed pods dotted patches of green.—
Malia Mendez,
Los Angeles Times,
24 June 2025
Noun
-
July always arrives with a blend of sunshine and sorrow for me.—
Belal Aftab,
Mercury News,
13 July 2025
-
In humanitarian tents, children gather to share their fears and sorrows, and to comfort one another.—
Sarah Ferguson,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Despond.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despond. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.
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