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despair
/dɪˈspɛər/
hopelessness
After years of failed attempts, he fell into despair.
He felt hopeless and lost all hope after many failures.
formal
A state of extreme hopelessness, often leading to feelings of powerlessness or depression.
The prolonged war left the nation in despair.
The long-lasting conflict caused the country to feel utterly hopeless.
She cried in despair when she received the bad news.
She wept with overwhelming sadness and hopelessness after hearing the unfortunate news.
Despair is often associated with a loss of hope or a sense of futility.
Collocations
fall into despairto become hopelessplunge into despairto suddenly feel hopelesscry in despairto weep with overwhelming sadness
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Usage Tip
Despair is often used in formal contexts to describe a deep emotional state. Avoid using it lightly, as it carries strong emotional weight.
Gold Rule
Grammar Rule
Despair is an uncountable noun and is typically used in singular form.
Word Origin
From Middle English 'despairen' (to despair), from Old French 'desperer', from Latin 'desperare' (to give up hope), from 'de-' (away) + 'spes' (hope).
Usage Notes
Despair is often used to describe a profound sense of hopelessness, sometimes leading to depression or a loss of motivation. It can be caused by personal, social, or global events.
Word Breakdown
de-
away from
prefix-spair
hope
rootEnglish Dictionary