Despair: meaning, definitions and examples

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despair

[ dɪˈsper ]

^{Context #1}

feeling

the complete loss or absence of hope

Synonyms

desolation, desperation, hopelessness

Examples of usage

She sank into despair when she heard the bad news.
The sense of despair was overwhelming.

^{Context #2}

situation

a state in which all hope is lost or absent

Synonyms

desolation, desperation, hopelessness

Examples of usage

The country was in a state of despair after the war.
The company faced financial despair.

^{Context #3}

emotion

to lose all hope or confidence

Synonyms

give up, lose hope, surrender

Examples of usage

She despaired of ever finding a solution.
He despaired at the thought of failure.

Translations

Translations of the word "despair" in other languages:

🇵🇹 desespero

🇮🇳 निराशा

🇩🇪 Verzweiflung

🇮🇩 keputusasaan

🇺🇦 відчай

🇵🇱 rozpacz

🇯🇵 絶望 (ぜつぼう)

🇫🇷 désespoir

🇪🇸 desesperación

🇹🇷 umutsuzluk

🇰🇷 절망 (jeolmang)

🇸🇦 يأس

🇨🇿 zoufalství

🇸🇰 zúfalstvo

🇨🇳 绝望 (juéwàng)

🇸🇮 obup

🇮🇸 örvænting

🇰🇿 үмітсіздік

🇬🇪 სასოწარკვეთა

🇦🇿 ümidsizlik

🇲🇽 desesperación

Word origin

The word 'despair' originated from the Old French word 'desespeir', which came from Latin 'desperare', meaning to be without hope. Over time, 'despair' has evolved to represent the extreme feeling of hopelessness or loss of confidence in various contexts.