despair
dɪˈspɛː/
noun
noun: despair; plural noun: despairs
1.
the complete loss or absence of hope.
"a voice full of self-hatred and despair"
synonyms: hopelessness, desperation, distress, anguish, pain, unhappiness; dejection, depression, despondency, disconsolateness, gloom, melancholy, melancholia, misery, wretchedness;
disheartenment, discouragement, resignedness, forlornness, defeatism, pessimism
"many parents feel pain and despair about their teenage children"
antonyms: hope, joy
verb
verb: despair; 3rd person present: despairs; past tense: despaired; past participle: despaired; gerund or present participle: despairing
1.
lose or be without hope.
"we should not despair"
synonyms: lose hope, give up hope, abandon hope, give up, lose heart, be discouraged, be despondent, be demoralized, resign oneself, throw in the towel/sponge, quit, surrender; be pessimistic, look on the black side;
archaicdespond
"don't despair if you didn't win this time"
hopeless, desperate, anguished, distressed, broken-hearted, heartbroken, grief-stricken, inconsolable, sorrowing, suicidal, in despair;
dejected, depressed, despondent, disconsolate, gloomy, melancholy, miserable, wretched, desolate, forlorn;
disheartened, discouraged, demoralized, devastated, downcast, resigned, defeatist, pessimistic;
literarydolorous
"her mother gave me a despairing look"
antonyms: cheerful, optimistic
Origin
Middle English: the noun via Anglo-Norman French from Old French desespeir ; the verb from Old French desperer, from Latin desperare, from de- ‘down from’ + sperare ‘to hope’.
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