noun

despair

dih-SPEH-uh

noun

A total loss of hope.

"She was filled with despair after losing her job for the third time."

verb

To lose all hope.

"Don't despair — there's still time to fix this."

How to Use Despair

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishComplete hopelessness, or the act of giving up all hope.

Common pairings

a sense of despair despair of ever cry of despair

despaired past tense, despairs plural, despairs singular

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She was filled with _____ after losing her job for the third time.

From Old French desperer, from Latin desperare, "to lose hope" — from de- + sperare ("to hope"). Related to "desperate."

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