despondent
Very sad and without any hope.
despondent in a sentence
- After losing the final, the team trudged off the pitch despondent, their heads hanging low.
- Milo felt despondent when rain washed out the camping trip, sure the whole holiday was ruined.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to despondent?
- Acheerful
- Bhappy
- Csad
- Dhopeful
Show the answer
C: sad. The other three mean the opposite of despondent.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to despondent?
- Adown
- Bhopeful
- Cmiserable
- Dsad
Show the answer
B: hopeful. The other three mean nearly the same as despondent.
Words that mean something similar
sad, miserable, down
Words that mean the opposite
hopeful, cheerful, happy
More words about emotions & feelings
- 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.
- downcast: Sad and low, often looking at the ground.
- dread: A strong fear of something that is going to happen.
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