easy
The lost hiker felt despair as the sky grew dark.
What does Despair mean?
Despair means feeling like there is no hope.
Dictionary definition
A feeling of losing hope for a while.
Example sentences
Despair in a sentence
medium
A kind message helped turn despair into hope.
hard
The author used despair to show how serious the conflict had become.
Writing practice
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Quick practice
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Practice the meaning of Despair
Answer three quick questions about its meaning and related words.
Question 1 of 3
Practice 1
What does despair mean?
Despair means feeling like there is no hope.
Practice 2
Which choice is closest in meaning to despair?
The choice "hopelessness" is closest in meaning because despair means feeling like there is no hope.
Practice 3
Which choice is the best antonym or contrast for despair?
The choice "hope" is a strong contrast because despair means feeling like there is no hope.
Practice complete
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You completed 3 questions.
Pronunciation coach
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Despair
Voice settings
Sounds like
dih · spair · strongest beat: spair
Tap each sound part, then blend the whole word together.
Learn
WordDespair.
Partnoun, verb.
MeaningDespair means feeling like there is no hope.
ExampleExample: The lost hiker felt despair as the sky grew dark.
Word breakdown
2 syllables. Say each part, then blend the word.
- Syllables
- dih · spair
- Strongest beat
- spair
- Ending
- spair
- Tip
- Put a little extra energy on spair.
Your turn
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Nice work—you practiced despair.
Synonyms
Words like Despair
Antonyms
Opposite words
hopeA feeling that things can improve.
confidenceBelief that something can succeed.
Synonym practice
Want to practice despair synonyms in context? Try a Synonym Search question like "The character felt despair when the puzzle seemed impossible," then compare close word choices. Practice despair synonyms.
Word family
Despair word family
Base word
despair
noun
despair
Base form of despair.
Related words
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Learning activities
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