Synonyms of despondency

despondency

noun

di-ˈspän-dən-sē 

1

as in sadness

a state or spell of low spirits

in despondency because he couldn't seem to settle into a lasting relationship

Synonyms & Similar Words

• sadness
• depression
• melancholy
• sorrowfulness
• sorrow
• gloom
• mournfulness
• anguish
• grief
• dejection
• unhappiness
• despair
• misery
• despondence
• oppression
• desperation
• gloominess
• agony
• dreariness
• blues
• glumness
• heartsickness
• despond
• joylessness
• dumps
• forlornness
• pain
• mourning
• miserableness
• mopes
• boredom
• doldrums
• desolation
• distress
• downheartedness
• blue devils
• melancholia
• regret
• self-pity
• hopelessness
• discouragement
• disconsolateness
• dispiritedness
• somberness
• dolefulness
• wretchedness
• ennui
• woe
• dolor
• disheartenment
• tedium
• moroseness
• moodiness
• drear
• morbidness
• woefulness
• rue
• self-despair
• dismalness
• morosity

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• elation
• joy
• euphoria
• exultation
• happiness
• ecstasy
• exuberance
• intoxication
• jubilation
• bliss
• rapture
• exhilaration
• joyousness
• gladness
• mirth
• joyfulness
• heaven
• felicity
• glee
• gayety
• optimism
• gaiety
• merriment
• humor
• joviality
• jollity
• hopefulness
• cheerfulness
• lightheartedness
• blissfulness
• gayness
• satisfaction
• contentment
• cheeriness
• cheer
• mirthfulness
• content
• gleefulness
• elatedness
• contentedness
• rapturousness
• gladsomeness
• gratification
• sunniness
• delight

2

as in despair

the state of being discouraged

in their despondency they seemingly forgot that losing teams can become winning teams in a single season

Synonyms & Similar Words

• despair
• dismay
• discouragement
• defeatism
• depression
• demoralization
• gloom
• disheartenment
• melancholy
• dejection
• resignation
• pessimism
• blues
• dumps
• dispiritedness
• mopes

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• encouragement
• optimism
• sanguinity

3

as in desperation

utter loss of hope

never once gave into despondency and self-pity during her long recovery from her injuries in the car crash

Synonyms & Similar Words

• desperation
• despair
• sadness
• hopelessness
• sorrow
• depression
• despondence
• melancholy
• despond
• misery
• forlornness
• slough of despond
• agony
• resignation
• oppression
• gloom
• unhappiness
• sorrowfulness
• pain
• dejection
• distress
• gloominess
• mournfulness
• acceptance
• dreariness
• self-pity
• joylessness
• blues
• dumps
• pessimism
• cynicism
• dolor
• mopes
• desolation
• doldrums
• wretchedness
• downheartedness
• blue devils
• woe
• self-despair
• disconsolateness
• dispiritedness
• woefulness
• dolefulness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• hopefulness
• hope
• cheerfulness
• optimism
• cheer
• mirth
• glee
• gayety
• elation
• gaiety
• joy
• merriment
• sunniness
• euphoria
• joviality
• jollity
• happiness
• exultation
• ecstasy
• exuberance
• lightheartedness
• jubilation
• bliss
• rapture
• exhilaration
• joyousness
• gladness
• joyfulness
• mirthfulness
• gleefulness
• blissfulness
• elatedness
• rapturousness

Examples of despondency in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Newsletters Sign up for Morning Rounds Understand how science, health policy, and medicine shape the world every day Privacy Policy There was a sense of despondency at the FDA’s decision, especially among veteran communities where PTSD is prevalent. —Olivia Goldhill and Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 9 Aug. 2024

While some industry politicos may have their preferences for VP, attention is still focused on the turnaround in enthusiasm from a month ago, when there was despondency and division in the donor class over Joe Biden’s prospects. —Ted Johnson, Deadline, 5 Aug. 2024

On the national front, there is an air of despondency. —Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2024

With Democrats in open despondency and unable to force Biden’s hand, there’s a very good chance that the energy at next week’s GOP nominating convention in Milwaukee will feel more like a UFC fight than a C-SPAN hearing. —Philip Elliott, TIME, 10 July 2024