Word: Despondence
Part of Speech: Noun
Definition: Despondence refers to a state of feeling very sad, hopeless, and disheartened. When someone is in a state of despondence, they may feel like nothing will get better and that they have lost hope.
Usage Instructions: - Despondence is often used to describe deep feelings of sadness or disappointment. - It is typically used in more formal or literary contexts. - You can use it to describe a person's emotional state, especially when they seem overwhelmed by negative feelings.
Example Sentence: - After losing his job, Mark fell into a state of despondence and found it hard to see a way forward.
Advanced Usage: - Despondence can be used in psychological discussions, literature, or when describing emotional states in essays. - It is less common in everyday conversation compared to simpler words like "sadness" or "depression," but it adds depth to writing.
Word Variants: 1. Despondent (adjective) - feeling or showing a loss of hope. - Example: She felt despondent after her plans fell through. 2. Despondently (adverb) - in a manner expressing a loss of hope. - Example: He sighed despondently when he heard the news.
Different Meanings: - While despondence primarily refers to feelings of hopelessness, it can also imply a lack of energy or motivation due to sadness.
Synonyms: - Hopelessness - Dejection - Discouragement - Despair - Melancholy
Idioms: - "Down in the dumps" - feeling sad or depressed (similar to despondence). - "In the depths of despair" - feeling extremely hopeless and sad (intensely similar to despondence).
Phrasal Verbs: - Give up - to stop trying because of hopelessness. - Example: After many failures, she decided to give up and felt a wave of despondence wash over her. - Cheer up - to become happier or to help someone become happier. - Example: Friends tried to cheer him up, but his despondence made it difficult.