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despair

[dih-spair] / dɪˈspɛər /




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.

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But even “A Different World” hit its limits when it plunged the audience inside the Black folks’ shock and despair after the 1992 Los Angeles uprising.

From Salon ● Sep. 24, 2026

The party has only recently rolled out training for its MPs on making social videos, something senior figures despair at.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

"I have no plans to take the exam elsewhere; financially, it is not possible for me to take it outside Iran," she told AFP, describing the "sheer despair" among Iranians hoping to study abroad.

From Barron's ● Sep. 8, 2026

In the years that followed, she would occasionally redownload the apps, then delete them again when despair overwhelmed her.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026

When this was done, a heavy feeling of despair fell over her.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Kakar despairs at the plight of Afghans who remain in Pakistan.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 28, 2024

Then Isabel’s despairs stack, pressing her to expand her inquiry beyond the United States and diagnose history’s gravest injuries.

From Salon ● Jan. 26, 2024

She badgers LB to get a job and despairs when her stubborn daughter holds out for meaningful work rather than going to Scranton, Pa., to work in collections.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2023

Mr Jones said he "despairs" when visitors in north Wales are "let down" by the train network, and said that it was a "big, big disappointment".

From BBC ● May 30, 2023

Mr. Corcoran swung to and fro between euphoria and the wildest of despairs.

From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt

Several MPs the BBC spoke to despaired that such a significant social change could hinge on their colleagues' diary commitments.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

But closer to the high-security perimeter, a crowd of worshippers despaired as police officers blocked their route.

From Barron's ● Jun. 7, 2026

They mourned the loss of entertainment industry jobs and despaired over homeless people living in squalor.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 21, 2026

The 28-year-old software engineer despaired of ever reaching America.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2025

I also despaired because Hamlet had not come to me.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

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

That cruel realization haunts the cash-strapped protagonist of English filmmaker Mark Jenkin’s transfixing, increasingly despairing “Rose of Nevada.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 19, 2026

But he's already despairing about his future housing prospects.

From BBC ● May 12, 2026

Mr. Page expresses such deep, despairing horror that, for a few minutes at least, this minor tragedy rises to heights of harrowing feeling.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 1, 2026

They and the coyotes lived clever, despairing, submarginal lives.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck




Vocabulary lists containing despair


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