- present participle of despair.
despairing
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Despite facing notable challenges and coming of age in a culture infected by “big woe,” or an onslaught of despairing information, Moore believes there is still reason for young people to be optimistic.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
Parents, siblings and best friends are interviewed by Ms. Borgman, all singing the praises of the deceased but almost uniformly despairing of the results of the case, a plea deal to avoid the death penalty.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
“Especially in despairing economic times we need to ensure people aren’t being denied access.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 18, 2026
This was Spurs in microcosm with mistake piled upon mistake – the self-destruct button pressed with despairing regularity.
From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2026
And then he wept, despairing, for his own land, trudging down beside the endless wash of the wide, wide sea, weary and desolate as the sea.
From "The Odyssey" by Homer
