1
: utter loss of hope
a cry of despair
gave up in despair
2
: a cause of hopelessness
an incorrigible child is the despair of his parents
despaired; despairing; despairs
: to lose all hope or confidence
despair of winning
obsolete
: to lose hope for
despairer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of despair in a Sentence
Noun
On the occasion of Johnson's tercentenary, Martin (A Life of James Boswell) searches out the psychological elements covered up by Boswell and others: the immense insecurities, bouts of deep depression, corrosive self-doubt and, in his last days, despair for his very soul.
—
Publishers Weekly, 21 July 2008
Players who'd been on the 2004 Olympic team joked about whether their two bronze medals equaled one silver. There was none of the despair or finger-pointing that followed the world championships in '02, when Team USA finished sixth.
—Kelly Anderson, Sports Illustrated, 11 Sept. 2006
The people who try to save endangered species in Hawaii are immune to despair. They have to be, to keep doing what they do.
—Lawrence Downes, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2004
His despair nearly drove him mad.
I was overcome by despair at being unable to find them.
She finally gave up in despair.
The people were driven to despair by the horrors of war.
This latest setback has brought her to the depths of despair.
Verb
It is possible that at this stage Caesar had not altogether despaired of a consensual solution to the difficulties facing the Republic.
—Anthony Everitt, Cicero, (2001) 2003
Sometimes it is hard not to despair about relations between men and women in American society. They seem to have hit rock bottom.
—Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn, New Republic, 6 May 2002
Yet, until very recently, Alzheimer's was so poorly understood that scientists despaired of finding a treatment, much less a cure.
—Ken Garber, Technology, March 2001
Things look bad now, but don't despair.
we despaired when we saw how little time we had left to complete our project
Publishers Weekly, 21 July 2008
Players who'd been on the 2004 Olympic team joked about whether their two bronze medals equaled one silver. There was none of the despair or finger-pointing that followed the world championships in '02, when Team USA finished sixth.
—Kelly Anderson, Sports Illustrated, 11 Sept. 2006
The people who try to save endangered species in Hawaii are immune to despair. They have to be, to keep doing what they do.
—Lawrence Downes, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2004
His despair nearly drove him mad.
I was overcome by despair at being unable to find them.
She finally gave up in despair.
The people were driven to despair by the horrors of war.
This latest setback has brought her to the depths of despair.
Verb
It is possible that at this stage Caesar had not altogether despaired of a consensual solution to the difficulties facing the Republic.
—Anthony Everitt, Cicero, (2001) 2003
Sometimes it is hard not to despair about relations between men and women in American society. They seem to have hit rock bottom.
—Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn, New Republic, 6 May 2002
Yet, until very recently, Alzheimer's was so poorly understood that scientists despaired of finding a treatment, much less a cure.
—Ken Garber, Technology, March 2001
Things look bad now, but don't despair.
we despaired when we saw how little time we had left to complete our project
Recent Examples on the Web
Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024
The rest of the cast is excellent too, in both the showier roles — Quinto as Mark, plunged into despair; Woodley as Diana, devolving into derangement — and the quieter ones.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Tony Hunter, Hartford Courant, 22 Dec. 2024
In the 12 years since Austin Tice was abducted in Syria, his family and his coworkers at McClatchy have grieved at the absence of our writer, despaired at silence from the Syrian government and prayed that promises from three U.S. presidents would turn into actions that brought Austin home.
—Tony Hunter, The Denver Post, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for despair 
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Noun
Satan is harsh and hypnotic, romantic and self-pitying in his despair.
—Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024
The rest of the cast is excellent too, in both the showier roles — Quinto as Mark, plunged into despair; Woodley as Diana, devolving into derangement — and the quieter ones.
—Jesse Green, New York Times, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
In the 12 years since Austin Tice was abducted in Syria, his family and his coworkers at McClatchy have grieved at his absence, despaired at silence from the Syrian government and prayed that promises from three U.S. presidents would turn into actions that brought Austin home.
—Tony Hunter, Hartford Courant, 22 Dec. 2024
In the 12 years since Austin Tice was abducted in Syria, his family and his coworkers at McClatchy have grieved at the absence of our writer, despaired at silence from the Syrian government and prayed that promises from three U.S. presidents would turn into actions that brought Austin home.
—Tony Hunter, The Denver Post, 20 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for despair
Dictionary Entries Near despair
Cite this Entry
“Despair.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/despair. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
despair
1 of 2 verb
de·spair
di-ˈspa(ə)r 
-ˈspe(ə)r
: to lose all hope or confidence
despair of winning
despair
2 of 2 noun1
: utter loss of hope : feeling of complete hopelessness
2
: a cause of hopelessness
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