What does despair mean?
Despair means (transitive, obsolete) To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of..
Despair
/dɪˈspɛə(ɹ)/ · verb
Meaning
(transitive, obsolete) To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of..
Definitions by Sense
- (transitive, obsolete) To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of.
- (transitive) To cause to despair.
- (intransitive) To be hopeless; to have no hope; to give up all hope or expectation. [(often) with of]
- Loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency.
- That which causes despair.
- That which is despaired of.
Example Sentences
I would not despair the greatest design that could be attempted.
I sometimes despair of getting anything quite simple and honest done in this world by the help of men.
Thinking of what I was despairing about despaired me further
We despaired even of life.
He turned around in despair, aware that he was not going to survive.
My daughter's behavior drives me to despair.
Synonyms for despair
Antonyms for despair
Related Words
Word Forms
- despairs
- despairing
- despaired
Usage Notes
Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.
Practice and Learn More
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a synonym for despair?
Common synonyms include desperation, despondency, hopelessness, despair.
What is the opposite of despair?
Possible antonyms include hope, respair.
How do you use despair in a sentence?
I would not despair the greatest design that could be attempted.
Sources & Attribution
FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.