despondency

noun

de·​spon·​den·​cy di-ˈspän-dən-sē How to pronounce despondency (audio)
: the state of being despondent or extremely low in spirits : dejection, hopelessness
sank into despondency while he was unemployed

Examples of despondency in a Sentence

in despondency because he couldn't seem to settle into a lasting relationship in their despondency they seemingly forgot that losing teams can become winning teams in a single season
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
That doesn’t happen after Nico Williams gives Spain the lead; there is only despondency at watching England fall behind. Tim Spiers, The Athletic, 15 July 2024 Katie Hafner: The mood of the research team, Dora wrote, turned from elation to despondency. Katie Hafner, Scientific American, 31 Oct. 2024 Ultimately the day ended for the Bears with a new wave of anger, embarrassment and despondency. Dan Wiederer, Chicago Tribune, 29 Oct. 2024 He’s perched in front of jagged cliffs while hiking outside of Arles, France, a blue baseball cap pulled over his hair, cheeks extra-ruddy in the sun, his default affability tempered by a sense of despondency. Kate Knibbs, WIRED, 27 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for despondency 

Word History

Etymology

see despond entry 1

First Known Use

1653, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of despondency was in 1653

Dictionary Entries Near despondency

Cite this Entry

“Despondency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/despondency. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

despondency

noun
de·​spond·​en·​cy
di-ˈspän-dən-sē
: the state of being despondent : dejection, discouragement

More from Merriam-Webster on despondency

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!