despairing
adjective
de·spair·ing di-ˈsper-iŋ 
: given to, arising from, or marked by despair : devoid of hope
despairingly
di-ˈsper-iŋ-lē
adverb 
Synonyms
- bearish
- defeatist
- downbeat
- hopeless
- pessimistic
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
despairing predictions regarding the effects of global overpopulation despairing applicants need to be reminded that most students are eventually accepted somewhere
Recent Examples on the Web Both felt that harm reduction efforts had saved their own lives, and helping others was a source of hope at a time that too often could feel despairing. 
Joanna Slater, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 The novel’s most humorous events are also its most despairing. Dan Piepenbring, The New Yorker, 16 June 2022 The darkness is deeper and sometimes more despairing this year, but the jokes are just as frequent, and maybe even a bit more cathartic. Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 11 May 2022 Her thoughts grew more despairing during the next few weeks in the hospital and then in the Navy’s psychiatric ward. Melissa Chan, NBC News, 28 Apr. 2022 People who demonstrate tragic optimism suffer the same—and sometimes even more—pain and sorrow in the short term as those who become pessimistic and despairing. Brad Stulberg, Outside Online, 20 Jan. 2021 On July 30, 1932, exactly 6 months before Hitler became chancellor of Germany, Albert Einstein sent a despairing letter to Sigmund Freud. Adam Kuper, WSJ, 6 May 2022 This despairing rhetoric can’t be helping to encourage vaccination. Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 19 Apr. 2022 Beyond the research evidence, their gut-level take tells them that young people truly have become more anxious and despairing. Judith Warner, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2022 See More
Joanna Slater, Washington Post, 5 Aug. 2022 The novel’s most humorous events are also its most despairing. Dan Piepenbring, The New Yorker, 16 June 2022 The darkness is deeper and sometimes more despairing this year, but the jokes are just as frequent, and maybe even a bit more cathartic. Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 11 May 2022 Her thoughts grew more despairing during the next few weeks in the hospital and then in the Navy’s psychiatric ward. Melissa Chan, NBC News, 28 Apr. 2022 People who demonstrate tragic optimism suffer the same—and sometimes even more—pain and sorrow in the short term as those who become pessimistic and despairing. Brad Stulberg, Outside Online, 20 Jan. 2021 On July 30, 1932, exactly 6 months before Hitler became chancellor of Germany, Albert Einstein sent a despairing letter to Sigmund Freud. Adam Kuper, WSJ, 6 May 2022 This despairing rhetoric can’t be helping to encourage vaccination. Benjamin Mazer, The Atlantic, 19 Apr. 2022 Beyond the research evidence, their gut-level take tells them that young people truly have become more anxious and despairing. Judith Warner, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
from present participle of despair entry 2
First Known Use
1589, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
despairing
adjective
de·spair·ing
di-ˈsper-iŋ
: having or showing no hope
a despairing voice
despairing 1 of 2
adjective
1
as in hopeless
emphasizing or expecting the worst despairing predictions regarding the effects of global overpopulation Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- hopeless
- cynical
- desperate
- pessimistic
- downbeat
- bleak
- defeatist
- depressing
- discouraging
- negative
- grim
- nihilistic
- fatalistic
- morose
- somber
- bearish
- cheerless
- nihilist
- disheartening
- sullen
- hostile
- unlikely
- gloomy
- unpromising
- dismal
- inauspicious
- saturnine
- sepulchral
- sombre
- comfortless
- dreary
- desolate
- funereal
- contrary
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- hopeful
- optimistic
- upbeat
- encouraging
- rosy
- promising
- heartening
- reassuring
- bright
- comforting
- likely
- propitious
- golden
- Pollyannish
- positive
- fair
- auspicious
- good
- favorable
- Pollyannaish
- Panglossian
- utopian
- cheering
- romantic
- Pollyanna
- cheerful
- idealist
- cheery
- rose-colored
- visionary
- sunny
- chipper
2
as in desperate
feeling or showing no hope despairing applicants need to be reminded that most students are eventually accepted somewhere Synonyms & Similar Words
- desperate
- hopeless
- unhappy
- sad
- despondent
- mournful
- disappointed
- forlorn
- bleak
- heartbroken
- depressed
- melancholy
- cynical
- depressing
- disconsolate
- dark
- dejected
- sorrowful
- downhearted
- crestfallen
- accepting
- heartsick
- doleful
- miserable
- woebegone
- discouraged
- downcast
- dispirited
- gloomy
- glum
- grieving
- weeping
- joyless
- inconsolable
- abject
- wailing
- woeful
- disheartened
- wretched
- heartsore
- brokenhearted
- hangdog
- saddened
- resigned
- cheerless
- sorry
- pessimistic
- desolate
- dismal
- blue
- low
- drear
- dreary
- comfortless
- down
- low-spirited
- funereal
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- optimistic
- hopeful
- exultant
- exuberant
- ecstatic
- euphoric
- enraptured
- merry
- mirthful
- blithe
- jovial
- jolly
- elated
- exhilarated
- gay
- joyous
- jubilant
- joyful
- cheerful
- gleeful
- entranced
- happy
- lively
- encouraged
- jocund
- blithesome
- buoyant
- vivacious
- jaunty
- blissful
- cheery
- glad
- upbeat
- perky
- sprightly
- delighted
- animated
- lightsome
- heartened
- sunny
- chipper
- gladdened
- gladsome
- sprightful
despairing
2 of 2verb
as in grieving
to lose all hope or confidence we despaired when we saw how little time we had left to complete our project Synonyms & Similar Words
- grieving
- suffering
- mourning
- desponding
- hurting
- sorrowing
- discouraging
- agonizing
- bleeding
- losing heart
- surrendering
- saddening
- disheartening
- darkening
- dispiriting
- yielding
- giving up
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- exulting
- rejoicing
- brightening
- reassuring
- encouraging
- assuring
- cheering (up)
- hoping
- perking (up)
- heartening
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of despairing are desperate, despondent, and hopeless. While all these words mean "having lost all or nearly all hope," despairing suggests the slipping away of all hope and often despondency.
despairing appeals for the return of the kidnapped child
While the synonyms desperate and despairing are close in meaning, desperate implies despair that prompts reckless action or violence in the face of defeat or frustration.
one last desperate attempt to turn the tide of battle
While in some cases nearly identical to despairing, despondent implies a deep dejection arising from a conviction of the uselessness of further effort.
despondent about yet another rejection
The synonyms hopeless and despairing are sometimes interchangeable, but hopeless suggests despair and the cessation of effort or resistance and often implies acceptance or resignation.
the situation of the trapped miners is hopeless
- self-destructive
- self-destructiveness
- self-destructs
- self-determination
- self-determined
- self-determining
- self-determinism
- self-development
- self-developments
- self-devoted
- self-devotedness
- self-devoting
- self-devotion
- self-devouring
- self-dif
- self-differentiate
- self-differentiated
- self-differentiates
- self-differentiating
- self-differentiation
- self-differentiations
- self-direct
- self-directed
- self-directing
- self-direction