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Despair: meaning, definitions and examples

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despair

 

[ dɪˈsper ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

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 | Noun

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 | Verb

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

Etymology

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.

See also: despairing, desperate.

Word Frequency Rank

At #5,285 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.