despairnoun [ U ]
uk/dɪˈspeər/us/dɪˈsper/B2 the feeling that there is no hope and that you can do nothing to improve a difficult or worrying situation:
a mood/sense of despair
They're in (the depths of) despair over/about the money they've lost.
To her teacher's despair, Nicole never does the work that she's told to do.
Their fourth year without rain drove many farmers to despair.
be the despair of sb
to cause someone such difficulties that they do not know how to deal with you:
He's the despair of his parents because he shows no interest in getting a job.
More examples
- A feeling of despair descended on us as we realized that we were completely lost.
- He was plunged into despair when his wife left him.
- In despair, the theatre director searched everywhere for a new lead actor.
- Over a bottle of wine, we shared our despair over the state of our marriages.
- He sank into deep despair when he lost his job.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Sadness and regret
- a heavy heart idiom
- be/weigh on your conscience idiom
- bitter
- bring a lump to/have a lump in your throat idiom
- broken-hearted
- gloom
- gloomy
- guilt complex
- guilt trip
- guilt-ridden
- guilt trip
- heartache
- lament
- melancholy
- mourn
- rue the day idiom
- rueful
- sackcloth
- sad
- sadly
See more results »
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Complicated and difficult to do
despairverb [ I ]
uk/dɪˈspeər/us/dɪˈsper/to feel despair about something or someone:
Don't despair! We'll find a way out!
I despair at/over the policies of this government.
They began to despair of ever being rescued.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Not hopeful
- be in a funk idiom
- be on a hiding to nothing idiom
- chance
- defeatist
- dejected
- dim
- glum
- grim
- hiding
- hope
- hopeless
- lose
- negative
- not give much for sb's chances idiom
- not have a hope in hell idiom
- pessimism
- pessimistic
- prophet
- prophet of doom idiom
- win
See more results »
despairing
adjective uk/dɪˈspeə.rɪŋ/us/dɪˈsper.ɪŋ/
a despairing glance/cry
despairingly
adverb uk/dɪˈspeə.rɪŋ.li/us/dɪˈsper.ɪŋ.li/
He rubbed his hand despairingly over his face.