Despondent and Despairing

Despondent

Despondent adjective - Feeling or showing no hope.
Usage example: after four days and still no word that the missing plane had been located, the relatives were despondent

Despairing is a synonym for despondent in hope topic. In some cases you can use "Despairing" instead an adjective "Despondent", when it comes to topics like dejected, depressed, disheartened, hopeless. popular alternative

Despairing

Despairing adjective - Feeling or showing no hope.
Usage example: despairing applicants need to be reminded that most students are eventually accepted somewhere

Despondent is a synonym for despairing in hopeless topic. You can use "Despondent" instead an adjective "Despairing", if it concerns topics such as hope, dejected, desperate. popular alternative

Nearby Words: despair, despairingly, despaired
Cite this Source
Despairing and Despondent. (2016). Retrieved 2026, July 21, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/despondent/despairing
Despondent & Despairing. N.p., 2016. Web. 21 Jul. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/despondent/despairing>.
Despairing or Despondent. 2016. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/despondent/despairing.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "despondent" and "despairing" have occurred on timeline