Despondent
Feeling or showing a loss of hope; disheartened and discouraged.
adjectiveDespondent
Feeling or showing a loss of hope; disheartened and discouraged.
adjectiveImagine This
Wonβt you feel hopeless if no one responds to your 911 call, while your kitchen is on fire?
Sounds Like
dih-SPOND-uhnt
Looks Like
de-spond-ent; resembles 'respond' with a de- prefix meaning down and the common -ent suffix.
Remember This
The noun form is despondency and the adverb is despondently. This word describes mood rather than a physical state.
Other Forms
Connect With
dejected, discouraged, downcast, crestfallen, hopeless
Note
Despondent describes deep, prolonged discouragement; it is typically used with about, over, or at. Do not confuse with 'despond' (verb) which is rarer or archaic in modern usage.
Study Deeper
- She grew despondent after receiving multiple rejections from colleges.
- The team sat in despondent silence as the clock ticked down.
From Latin despondΔre, de- (down) + spondΔre (to promise, pledge). The sense evolved from 'to give up hope' to 'downcast' in English.
Mnemonic: De- (down) + SPOND (sounds like 'respond') + -ent. When there is no response, you are down and despondent.
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