DESPAIR Synonyms: 108 Similar and Opposite Words

despair 1 of 2

noun

di-ˈsper

Definition of despair

as in desperation

utter loss of hope the endless drought drove the farmers to despair

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in dismay

the state of being discouraged the other team's temporary lead caused some momentary despair

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

despair

2 of 2

verb

as in to grieve

to lose all hope or confidence we despaired when we saw how little time we had left to complete our project

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of despair

Noun

If there’s plenty to despair about in Krux, Vahl also shows how all is not totally lost. — Jordan Mintzer, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026 His life moved from pain to promise, despair to hope, and perhaps as humanly possible, from sinner to saint. — Steven D. Reske, Chicago Tribune, 23 Sep. 2026

Verb

And if the waitlist gets outrageous, don’t despair—there are many ways to slurp in Tomales Bay. — Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026 There won’t be a Knicks game this Sunday, but people looking to watch something full of New York pride should not despair. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 4 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for despair

Recent Examples of Synonyms for despair

Noun

With four great games to choose from, and desperation from half of the teams, this is can’t-miss baseball.

— OutKick, FOXNews.com, 30 Sep. 2026
What readers are saying The comments express strong criticism of Senate Republicans' last-minute legislative efforts before the midterm elections, suggesting these actions are driven by desperation rather than genuine concern for the public.

— Theodoric Meyer, Washington Post, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of desperation

Verb

Pi-o grieves the death of his friend, unable to get out of bed for days.

— Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
Shane Thomson, the high-risk security adviser who warned Hall, Zakrzewski and Kuvshynova not to go beyond the Kyiv city limits, joined the grieving parents in their lawsuit against Fox and Hall.

— David Folkenflik, NPR, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of grieve

Noun

Beat shows how so many of the sounds that were prevalent in the mid-’90s contained a unique, end-of-the century sadness.

— Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 4 Oct. 2026
People can experience grief, sadness, relief, conflict or combinations of these emotions after any pregnancy outcome.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of sadness

Noun

In a paper in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, members of the WTA’s performance and health staff stressed the importance of providing support, rather than discouragement, to athletes seeking to preserve their fertility.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 2026
Despite the feeling of discouragement that can come with the rejections and even ghostings applicants face, these internships — though sometimes few and far between — still exist.

— Cami Fateh, Vogue, 15 July 2026

Definition of discouragement

Verb

That means eliminating overlapping businesses and jobs in Hollywood, which is already suffering through a downturn.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026
Should corporate revenues demonstrate resilience while profit margins suffer cost compression, markets may reevaluate earnings prospects across energy intensive sectors.

— , CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of suffer

Noun

Women are more likely than men to report severe depression and hopelessness following breakups, but men are three to four times more likely to commit suicide.

— George Loewenstein, Vogue, 28 Sep. 2026
This year's report finds that levels of persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness among high schoolers have fallen in recent years – from 42% in 2021, to 40% in 2023 and 33% in 2025.

— Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of hopelessness

Verb

In a statement later on Saturday, the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem mourned Maisa Abu Dawoud and her daughter, Mary, extending condolences to their family.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
As federal investigators try to determine the cause of the crash, island residents are mourning the dead and confronting the trade-offs of life so isolated from the rest of Southern California.

— Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of mourn

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desolations

despair

despaired

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Style

“Despair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despair. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of despair

noun

verb

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