despair
The feeling of losing all hope.
despair in a sentence
- Lost in the maze with night falling, Tom felt despair creep over him: he would never find the way out.
- Just as the bakers sank into despair over the collapsed cake, Nan arrived with her secret recipe.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to despair?
- Ahope
- Bdesperation
- Cjoy
- Dcheer
Show the answer
B: desperation. The other three mean the opposite of despair.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to despair?
- Ahope
- Bdesperation
- Cmisery
Show the answer
A: hope. The other three mean nearly the same as despair.
Words that mean something similar
desperation, misery
Words that mean the opposite
hope, joy, cheer
More words about emotions & feelings
- despise: To dislike someone or something very strongly.
- despondent: Very sad and without any hope.
- detest: To dislike something so much that you cannot bear it.
- discontent: A feeling of being unhappy and not satisfied.
- disdain: A feeling that someone or something is not worth your respect.
- dismay: A shocked, worried feeling when something unpleasant happens.
- distraught: So upset and worried that you can hardly think.
- distress: Great worry, sadness or pain.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test