How Do You Spell DESPAIR?

Pronunciation: [dɪspˈe͡ə] (IPA)

The word "despair" is an English term used to define the state of being hopeless or extremely sad. The spelling of the word despair is interesting because it includes a silent letter. The /s/ sound in the beginning of the word is followed by a silent /p/, which is pronounced as /ə/. Then the word continues with the sound /ɛə/ followed by /r/ sound. In phonetics, the spelling of despair can be written as /dɪˈspɛər/.

DESPAIR Meaning and Definition

  1. Despair is an intense feeling of hopelessness, sadness, or utter desolation. It is a deep emotional state characterized by a sense of abandonment, loss of faith, and a belief that one's situation is entirely beyond hope or repair. The term is often associated with a profound sense of hopelessness and gloom, and it can be triggered by various circumstances such as failure, disappointment, grief, or chronic adversity.

    When an individual experiences despair, they may feel utterly powerless and trapped in a seemingly insurmountable situation. This feeling often leads to a loss of motivation, with a pervasive belief that their efforts will be in vain. Despair can cause individuals to feel isolated, cut off from others, and disconnected from any potential sources of support or solutions.

    Despair can have significant effects on a person's mental and physical well-being. It may manifest as sleep disturbances, changes in appetite, lack of energy, and a diminished interest in activities once considered pleasurable. Moreover, individuals in despair may struggle to find a sense of purpose or meaning in their lives.

    While despair is a challenging emotional state, it is important to remember that it is not a permanent condition. With the right support, coping strategies, and a shift in perspective, individuals can navigate through despair and find renewed hope and resilience.

  2. • Utter hopelessness; complete despondency; desperation; loss of hope in God's mercy.
    • To be without hope; to give up all expectation; to despond.

    Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.

Top Common Misspellings for DESPAIR *

* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.

Other Common Misspellings for DESPAIR

Etymology of DESPAIR

The word "despair" originated from the Latin term "desperare", which is a combination of the prefix "de-" (meaning "down from" or "away") and the verb "sperare" (meaning "to hope"). Therefore, "desperare" literally translates to "to be without hope" or "to lose hope". Over time, this Latin word evolved into "despair" in English, maintaining its fundamental sense of hopelessness and intense sadness.

Idioms with the word DESPAIR

  • sink into despair The idiom "sink into despair" means to experience a deep and overwhelming feeling of sadness, hopelessness, or discouragement. It refers to a state of profound despair where one's emotions become heavier and more burdensome, as if sinking into a deep and dark pit of sorrow.
  • drive sm to despair The idiom "drive someone to despair" means to cause someone to feel extreme sadness, frustration, or hopelessness. It implies that someone's actions or behaviors have become so unbearable or difficult to handle that the person affected by them is brought to a state of despair.
  • despair of sth The idiom "despair of something" refers to being in a state of hopelessness or extreme discouragement regarding a particular situation or outcome. It suggests a lack of faith or belief in the possibility of success or improvement.
  • drive to despair The idiom "drive to despair" means to cause extreme sadness, hopelessness, or mental anguish to someone. It refers to a situation or action that pushes a person to a state of deep despair or grief.
  • a counsel of despair The idiom "a counsel of despair" refers to advice or guidance given in a situation where there seems to be no hope or viable solution. It suggests that the advice is based on a pessimistic and defeatist attitude, which may not be productive or constructive in finding a resolution to a problem.
  • be the despair of somebody To be the despair of somebody means to cause extreme frustration, disappointment, or hopelessness to someone. It describes someone who consistently fails to meet expectations or constantly disappoints others.
  • despair of (something) The idiom "despair of (something)" means to lose hope or have a lack of confidence in something succeeding or improving. It refers to a feeling of acute discouragement, hopelessness, or resignation towards a particular situation or outcome.
  • drive (one) to despair The idiom "drive (one) to despair" means to cause someone to feel extreme sadness, frustration, or hopelessness. It implies that a certain situation or person's actions are overwhelming and leading the individual to a state of deep despair.
  • drive someone to despair The idiom "drive someone to despair" means to cause extreme sadness, hopelessness, or frustration in someone, typically through constant stress, difficulties, or negative circumstances. It suggests that the person's mental or emotional state has deteriorated to a point of great despair.
  • despair of The definition of the idiom "despair of" means to feel hopeless, discouraged, or lacking in faith or confidence about something or someone. It refers to a state of feeling unable to see any positive outcome or potential for success in a situation.
  • throw up (one's) hands in despair The idiom "throw up (one's) hands in despair" means to express complete loss of hope or frustration, usually in a situation where one feels helpless or overwhelmed. It typically implies giving up or surrendering due to a sense of defeat or inability to find a solution.
  • throw up your hands in horror/despair To "throw up your hands in horror/despair" is an idiom that means to react with a gesture of frustration, helplessness, or shock in response to a distressing or overwhelming situation. It symbolizes giving up or surrendering to a situation that seems hopeless or unbearable.
  • throw up your hands/arms in despair, horror, etc. To express feelings of helplessness, frustration, or resignation; to give up in defeat or resignation.

Similar spelling words for DESPAIR

Plural form of DESPAIR is DESPAIRS

Conjugate verb Despair

CONDITIONAL PERFECT

I would have despaired
you would have despaired
he/she/it would have despaired
we would have despaired
they would have despaired
I would have despair
you would have despair
he/she/it would have despair
we would have despair
they would have despair

CONDITIONAL PERFECT PROGRESSIVE

I would have been despairing
you would have been despairing
he/she/it would have been despairing
we would have been despairing
they would have been despairing

CONDITIONAL PRESENT

I would despair
you would despair
he/she/it would despair
we would despair
they would despair

CONDITIONAL PRESENT PROGRESSIVE

I would be despairing
you would be despairing
he/she/it would be despairing
we would be despairing
they would be despairing

FUTURE

I will despair
you will despair
he/she/it will despair
we will despair
they will despair

FUTURE CONTINUOUS

I will be despairing
you will be despairing
he/she/it will be despairing
we will be despairing
they will be despairing

FUTURE PERFECT

I will have despaired
you will have despaired
he/she/it will have despaired
we will have despaired
they will have despaired

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I will have been despairing
you will have been despairing
he/she/it will have been despairing
we will have been despairing
they will have been despairing

IMPERATIVE

you despair
we let´s despair

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

to despair

PAST CONTINUOUS

I was despairing
you were despairing
he/she/it was despairing
we were despairing
they were despairing

PAST PARTICIPLE

despaired

PAST PERFECT

I had despaired
you had despaired
he/she/it had despaired
we had despaired
they had despaired

PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I had been despairing
you had been despairing
he/she/it had been despairing
we had been despairing
they had been despairing

PRESENT

I despair
you despair
he/she/it despairs
we despair
they despair

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

I am despairing
you are despairing
he/she/it is despairing
we are despairing
they are despairing

PRESENT PARTICIPLE

despairing

PRESENT PERFECT

I have despaired
you have despaired
he/she/it has despaired
we have despaired
they have despaired

PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

I have been despairing
you have been despairing
he/she/it has been despairing
we have been despairing
they have been despairing

PRESENT SUBJUNCTIVE

he/she/it despair

SIMPLE PAST

I despaired
you despaired
he/she/it despaired
we despaired
they despaired

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