First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
1despair
verb de·spair \di-ˈsper\
: to no longer have any hope or belief that a situation will improve or change
Full Definition of DESPAIR
intransitive verb
: to lose all hope or confidence <despair of winning>
transitive verb
obsolete : to lose hope for
— de·spair·er noun
See despair defined for English-language learners
See despair defined for kids
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Examples of DESPAIR
- Sometimes it is hard not to despair about relations between men and women in American society. They seem to have hit rock bottom. —Elisabeth Lasch-Quinn, New Republic, 6 May 2002
- It is possible that at this stage Caesar had not altogether despaired of a consensual solution to the difficulties facing the Republic. —Anthony Everitt, Cicero, (2001) 2003
- Yet, until very recently, Alzheimer's was so poorly understood that scientists despaired of finding a treatment, much less a cure. —Ken Garber, Technology, March 2001
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Origin of DESPAIR
Middle English despeiren, from Anglo-French desperer, from Latin desperare, from de- + sperare to hope; akin to Latin spes hope — more at speed
Related to DESPAIR
- Synonyms
- despond, lose heart
- Antonyms
- brighten, cheer (up), perk (up)
Rhymes with DESPAIR
affair, aglare, airfare, Ajmer, Altair, antbear, armchair, au pair, aware, bakeware, barware, Basseterre, Baudelaire, beachwear, bergère, beware, bid fair, big hair, black bear, bricklayer, broodmare, brown bear, bugbear, caneware, carfare, Carrère, cave bear, chi-square, clayware, club chair, compare, compere, confrere, cookware, corsair, courseware, creamware, crosshair, cudbear, daymare, dead air, decare, deck chair, declare, delftware, dishware, éclair, elsewhere, ensnare, eyewear, fanfare, fieldfare, firmware, flatware, Flaubert, footwear, forbear, forebear, forswear, foursquare, freeware, funfair, galère, giftware, glassware, Great Bear, groupware, Gruyère, guard hair, hardware, health care, hectare, high chair, horsehair, hot air, impair, infare, Khmer, Kildare, knitwear, life-care, light air, longhair, loungewear, Mayfair, menswear, meunière, midair, mohair, Molière, neckwear, nightmare, no fair, outstare, out-there, outwear, playwear, plein air, plowshare, Poor Clare, Port Blair, portiere, premiere, prepare, pushchair, rainwear, redware, repair, root hair, Sancerre, sea hare, shank's mare, shareware, shorthair, side chair, Sinclair, skiwear, sleepwear, slipware, sloth bear, software, somewhere, spongeware, sportswear, stemware, stoneware, sun bear, swimwear, threadbare, tinware, torchère, trouvère, tuyere, unfair, unhair, unswear, Voltaire, warfare, welfare, wheelchair, wirehair, workfare
2despair
noun de·spair \di-ˈsper\
: the feeling of no longer having any hope
: someone or something that causes extreme sadness or worry
Full Definition of DESPAIR
1
: utter loss of hope <a cry of despair> <gave up in despair>
2
: a cause of hopelessness <an incorrigible child is the despair of his parents>
See despair defined for English-language learners
Examples of DESPAIR
- On the occasion of Johnson's tercentenary, Martin (A Life of James Boswell) searches out the psychological elements covered up by Boswell and others: the immense insecurities, bouts of deep depression, corrosive self-doubt and, in his last days, despair for his very soul. —Publishers Weekly, 21 July 2008
- Players who'd been on the 2004 Olympic team joked about whether their two bronze medals equaled one silver. There was none of the despair or finger-pointing that followed the world championships in '02, when Team USA finished sixth. —Kelly Anderson, Sports Illustrated, 11 Sept. 2006
- The people who try to save endangered species in Hawaii are immune to despair. They have to be, to keep doing what they do. —Lawrence Downes, New York Times, 19 Dec. 2004
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Origin of DESPAIR
(see 1despair)
First Known Use: 14th century
Related to DESPAIR
- Synonyms
- desperation, despond, despondence, despondency, forlornness, hopelessness, slough of despond
- Antonyms
- hope, hopefulness
DESPAIR[1] Defined for Kids
1despair
verb de·spair \di-ˈsper\
de·spairedde·spair·ing
Definition of DESPAIR for Kids
: to give up or lose all hope or confidence <She began to despair of ever finding her homework paper.>
2despair
noun
Definition of DESPAIR for Kids
1
: loss of hope : a feeling of complete hopelessness <He finally gave up in despair.>
2
: a cause of hopelessness
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