What does despondent mean?
Despondent is an adjective describing a state of deep dejection — a loss of hope or courage so thorough that a person has effectively given up expecting things to improve. Someone who is despondent is not merely sad about a setback; they have sunk into low spirits after repeated disappointments or a prolonged struggle, such as job hunting, illness, or failure. The word carries a formal, literary tone and appears frequently in narrative writing and journalism to convey emotional weight: a character may grow despondent, speak despondently, or lapse into despondency. It derives from the Latin verb dēspondēre, meaning to give up or pledge away, sharing a root with words like sponsor and respond. Because English already offers many words for sadness, despondent earns its place by capturing hopelessness specifically — the point where optimism has been surrendered.
adjectiveFeeling or showing profound loss of hope or courage; in low spirits from having given up expectation of success or improvement.
- In low spirits from loss of hope or courage; dejected.
"After months of rejected applications, she grew despondent and stopped checking her email."
"He became despondent when the rescue team had not arrived by nightfall."
"Her voice sounded flat and despondent on the phone."
Despondent literally means 'having pledged away your hope' — its Latin ancestor despondēre once described giving up something as a solemn promise.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of despondent
Despondent comes from the Latin verb dēspondēre, formed from the prefix dē- ('away from') plus spondēre ('to promise, pledge'), so it originally conveyed the idea of giving something up as if relinquishing a pledge — here, one's hope or courage. The word entered English in the early 17th century, first appearing around the 1690s in writings influenced by Latin. It shares its root spondēre with cognates such as sponsor, respond, and correspond, all of which involve the idea of pledging or answering. Over time its sense narrowed from general giving-up to the specific modern meaning of being dejected and without hope.
Related word forms
How despondent is actually used
Despondent is a fairly formal or literary word, more intense than 'sad' or 'down' but generally describing a state rather than a clinical condition. It typically describes a person's emotional state after prolonged disappointment rather than a momentary feeling.
Easily confused with despondent
Dispensable means capable of being done without; it merely sounds somewhat similar to despondent, which means hopeless or dejected.