despondently
In utter despair
Despondently means in a manner showing loss of hope or courage.
Someone who speaks despondently sounds defeated, discouraged: She stared despondently at the rejection letter.
The word conveys deep dejection rather than mild disappointment—a sinking feeling that things won't improve.
Sad from disappointment
- downcastSad or despondent
- forlornSad and abandoned
- dispiritedHaving lost heart
- woebegoneOvercome by grief
doleful · gloomily · mournfully · sorrowfully · dejectedly · dispiritedly · heavily · wearily
In a hopeless manner
- hopelesslyWithout any expectation
- defeatedlyIn a vanquished manner
- futilelyIn a fruitless manner
- helplesslyWithout ability to cope
wretchedly · desperately · pessimistically · fatalistically · bleakly · disconsolately · inconsolably · brokenly
With weary acceptance
- defeatedlyIn a vanquished manner
- passivelyWithout active participation
- submissivelyIn yielding deference
- listlesslyWithout energy or interest
apathetically · numbly · flatly · dully · wearily · lifelessly · mechanically · spiritlessly
With pensive longing
- pensivelyIn a reflective manner
- mournfullyIn a grieving way
- somberlyIn a sad, serious manner
- plaintivelyIn a sad, longing manner
longingly · sadly · tearfully · ruefully · regretfully · nostalgically · broodingly · heavily
crestfallen
Sad from disappointment
- downcastSad or despondent
- forlornSad and abandoned
- dispiritedHaving lost heart
woebegone · doleful · gloomily · mournfully · sorrowfully · dejectedly · dispiritedly · heavily · wearily · listlessly
despairingly
In a hopeless manner
- hopelesslyWithout any expectation
- defeatedlyIn a vanquished manner
- futilelyIn a fruitless manner
helplessly · wretchedly · desperately · pessimistically · fatalistically · bleakly · disconsolately · inconsolably · brokenly · emptily
resignedly
With weary acceptance
- defeatedlyIn a vanquished manner
- passivelyWithout active participation
- submissivelyIn yielding deference
listlessly · apathetically · numbly · flatly · dully · wearily · lifelessly · mechanically · spiritlessly · indifferently
wistfully
With pensive longing
- pensivelyIn a reflective manner
- mournfullyIn a grieving way
- somberlyIn a sad, serious manner
plaintively · longingly · sadly · tearfully · ruefully · regretfully · nostalgically · broodingly · heavily · gravely
despondentlyhopefully
With optimistic expectation
cheerfully · optimistically · joyfully · happily · cheerily
despondentlyexuberantly
With overflowing enthusiasm
enthusiastically · vigorously · energetically · vivaciously · spiritedly