DESPAIRING Synonyms: 168 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'despairing' differ from other similar words?

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

Q: When is it sensible to use 'desperate' instead of 'despairing'?

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

Q: When might 'despondent' be a better fit than 'despairing'?

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

Q: Where would 'hopeless' be a reasonable alternative to 'despairing'?

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

despairing 1 of 2

adjective

di-ˈsper-iŋ

Definition of despairing

as in hopeless

emphasizing or expecting the worst despairing predictions regarding the effects of global overpopulation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in desperate

feeling or showing no hope despairing applicants need to be reminded that most students are eventually accepted somewhere

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

despairing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of despair

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How does the adjective despairing differ from other similar words?

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

When is it sensible to use desperate instead of despairing?

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

When might despondent be a better fit than despairing?

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

Where would hopeless be a reasonable alternative to despairing?

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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of despairing

Adjective

Irony doesn’t have to be nihilistic or despairing. — Aaron Matz, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026 Rebin carries a despairing sense of hope in him, months later. — Cora Engelbrecht, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2026

Verb

Those ‘boys’ are in their late forties and fifties now — a comforting reminder, to parents who may be despairing about enduring another entry in this franchise, that all children eventually grow up. — Caspar Salmon, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 The book’s tone shifts from philosophical to playful to despairing to sensual, and on around again. — The New Yorker, New Yorker, 31 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for despairing

Recent Examples of Synonyms for despairing

Adjective

Corruption was endemic, and the country’s deeper troubles—its poverty, its social inequities, and the hopeless conditions that drive millions of Nepalis to emigrate for work—endured, laying the kindling for last year’s explosion.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026
Sometimes, love in a hopeless place is worth the price of admission.

— Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of hopeless

Adjective

Predecessor Eddie Howe had been desperate to bring the Belgian to the club.

— Chris Waugh, New York Times, 1 Sep. 2026
Yoon has defended his action, calling it a desperate attempt to draw public support for his fight against the liberal opposition Democratic Party that obstructed his agenda.

— ABC News, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of desperate

Verb

Crump was flanked by three sets of grieving Black families who have all lost their sons in recent months.

— Ryan Young, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
The grieving husband said Soto de Guzman wanted to take their son to Santo Domingo on the day after she was killed and had already booked a flight, but the son was in the midst of a mental health crisis.

— Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of grieving

Verb

Despite suffering a knee ailment and biceps soreness this season, Ohtani is slowly trying to take the mound for the first time in more than two months.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Aug. 2026
The draw looks pretty good for Paul to get to a possible fourth-round matchup with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, who is returning to the singles court for the first time since suffering a wrist injury in April.

— Adam Zagoria, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of suffering

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“Despairing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/despairing. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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