Another Word for Despair

Mild · A little, in the background

discouragement

Setbacks have made you less sure it is worth trying.

dejection

Low spirits after a specific disappointment.

gloom

A dark mood that hangs over the day.

the blues

Casual phrase for a low, sad stretch.

disheartenment

Your enthusiasm was knocked out of you.

pessimism

You expect the worst, though you still function.

a low

Everyday word for a dip you hope will pass.

Moderate · Clearly there, hard to ignore

hopelessness

You cannot picture things improving.

desolation

Bleak loneliness, as if the world has gone quiet.

misery

Ongoing unhappiness that colors everything.

defeat

Despair after trying hard and losing.

resignation

You have stopped fighting because it feels pointless.

melancholy

A softer, lingering sadness with a reflective edge.

heartsickness

Despair tied to love or longing.

Intense · Strong, taking over

anguish

Sharp, consuming emotional pain.

desperation

Despair with urgency, willing to try anything.

devastation

Despair after a loss that flattened you.

torment

Suffering that will not let up.

the depths

Informal phrase for the lowest point you have reached.

wretchedness

Feeling utterly miserable and worn down.

agony

Pain so intense it is hard to think past it.

I am in despair about my job search.

Months of rejections have left me with real discouragement about my job search.

There is so much despair after the news.

There is a heavy gloom over everyone since the news.

I feel despair about the future.

I feel a kind of hopelessness when I think about the future.

His despair after the accident was awful.

His anguish after the accident was hard to witness.