# despair

/dɪˈspɛɹ/ (US) · /dɪspˈeə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/despair
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 2. a cause of hopelessness

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a person or thing that causes you to lose all hope.

For teachers: a person, thing, or situation that is a source of hopelessness or frustration.

- The broken-down car was the despair of the mechanic, who couldn't find the part.
- The unruly garden was the despair of the elderly couple, who could no longer manage the aggressive weeds and overgrown hedges.

## Examples

- He felt a sense of despair after losing his job.
- The long winter and lack of food drove the isolated villagers to the brink of despair.
- In his later poetry, the author explores the tension between the quiet despair of aging and the persistent, irrational hope for a legacy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.