despair
B2Formal to neutral; common in literary, academic, and everyday contexts when discussing strong emotions.
Definition
Meaning
The complete loss or absence of hope.
A state of utter hopelessness and despondency, often leading to inaction; can also refer to the cause of such a feeling. Can function as both a noun and a verb.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a profound and often paralyzing emotional state. As a verb, it is typically intransitive and followed by 'of' (e.g., 'despair of something').
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or grammatical differences. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Identical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Similar frequency of use in both BrE and AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
VERB: despair of (someone/something/doing something)NOUN: despair at (something)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “the depths of despair”
- “do not despair”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare; may appear in discussions of market collapse or business failure (e.g., 'There was despair among investors after the crash.').
Academic
Common in psychology, literature, and sociology to describe psychological states or societal conditions.
Everyday
Used to describe intense personal disappointment or loss of hope about a situation.
Technical
Not typically a technical term, but used in clinical psychology contexts.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She began to despair of ever finding a solution.
- He despaired at the state of the pitch after the rain.
American English
- They despaired of getting their deposit back.
- Do not despair; help is on the way.
adverb
British English
- She looked around despairingly.
- He shook his head despairingly.
American English
- 'It's no use,' he said despairingly.
- She waved her hands despairingly.
adjective
British English
- A despairing look crossed her face.
- He gave a despairing sigh.
American English
- Her despairing cries could be heard down the hall.
- It was a despairing situation for all involved.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He felt great despair when he lost his dog.
- Don't despair, we can try again tomorrow.
- The news filled them with despair.
- After failing the test three times, she began to despair.
- A sense of despair settled over the community as the floodwaters rose.
- I despair of politicians who never keep their promises.
- Her research examines the existential despair prevalent in post-war literature.
- Critics despair at the government's inaction on the climate crisis.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'DESPAIR' sounds like 'The SPARE' hope is gone. Or break it down: 'de-' (without) + 'spair' (related to 'spirit' or 'hope') = without hope.
Conceptual Metaphor
DESPAIR IS A CONTAINER ('sink into despair'), DESPAIR IS A BURDEN ('weighed down by despair'), DESPAIR IS DARKNESS ('a dark despair').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'disappointment' (разочарование). 'Despair' is stronger: безнадёжность, отчаяние.
- The verb 'to despair' (отчаиваться) is often followed by 'of', not a direct object.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He despaired the situation.' Correct: 'He despaired of the situation.'
- Confusing 'in despair' (state) with 'desperately' (manner of action).
Practice
Quiz
Which preposition most commonly follows the verb 'despair'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is primarily a noun, but it is also a commonly used verb (e.g., 'to despair of something'). The adjective form is 'despairing' and the adverb is 'despairingly'.
'Despair' is a specific emotional state of complete hopelessness. 'Depression' is a broader, clinical mental health condition that may include despair as a symptom but also involves other persistent symptoms like low energy, loss of interest, etc.
No. The verb 'despair' is intransitive. You despair *of* someone or something (e.g., 'I despair of you ever learning this rule').
It is neutral-to-formal. It is perfectly acceptable in everyday speech for serious situations, but synonyms like 'give up hope' or 'lose hope' might be more common in casual conversation.
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Nuanced Emotions
C2 · 48 words · Precise vocabulary for complex emotional states.
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