English vocabulary · B2
Despondent
/dɪˈspɑːn.dənt/ · adj.
It means feeling very sad and without hope. All your energy is gone and nothing feels worth trying.
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Example sentences
- He sat despondent after losing his job.
- She looked despondent, eyes down.
Word origin and roots
from Latin
- de — down (from Latin)
- spond — promise (from Latin)
Synonyms and nuances
- HOPELESS — no hope at all (No way forward)
- GLOOMY — sad and dark (Dark and heavy mood)
- DEJECTED — sad and let down (Knocked down inside)
Words with the same root
spond — promise
- respond — answer back
- correspond — match or communicate
- sponsor — one who pledges support
Lesson notes
Despondent. It means feeling very sad and without hope. All your energy is gone and nothing feels worth trying.
Similar words are hopeless, gloomy, and dejected. Use despondent when all hope is gone.
He sat despondent after losing his job. She looked despondent, eyes down.
From Latin. De- means down. Spond- means promise. All promise gone down — that is despondent.