désespoir
/de.zɛs.pwaʁ/noun★Intermediate
formal
A state of extreme hopelessness, often accompanied by feelings of helplessness and sorrow.
Le désespoir l'a envahi quand il a réalisé qu'il ne pouvait pas sauver sa famille.
Despair overwhelmed him when he realized he couldn't save his family.
💡
Often used in literary or emotional contexts to describe profound sadness and loss of hope.
Collocations
tomber dans le désespoirto fall into despairun cri de désespoira cry of despair
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
perdre tout espoirphrase
to lose all hope
💡Pro Tip
Emotional Context
Use 'désespoir' to describe intense emotional states, often in serious or tragic situations.
📖Word Origin
From Old French 'desesperer' (to lose hope), from Latin 'desperare' (to despair).
📝Usage Notes
Often used in literary or emotional contexts to describe profound sadness and loss of hope.
Word Breakdown
dés-
without
prefix-espoir
hope
rootDictionnaire Français-Anglais