English Explanatory Dictionary

despair

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of.
  2. To cause to despair.
  3. To be hopeless; to have no hope; to give up all hope or expectation.
noun
  1. Loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency.
  2. That which causes despair.
  3. That which is despaired of.

Pronunciation

/dɪˈspɛə(ɹ)/ /dɪˈspɛɚ/ en-us-despair.ogg /dɪˈspeː(ɹ)/

Word forms

despair despairs despairing despaired

Etymology

From Middle English dispeir, from Anglo-Norman despeir and Old French desperer (from Latin dēspērō, dēspērāre), or desesperer, from des- (“dis-”) + esperer (“hope”). See also desperate. Displaced native Old English ormōdnes (“despair”) and Old English ortrīewan (“to despair”).

Synonyms

desperation despondency hopelessness despair despond unhope wanhope

Antonyms

hope respair

Derived words

compare and despair despairer climate despair counsel of despair death of despair despairful disease of despair pit of despair self-despair
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