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Despair vs Sadness - What's the difference?

despair | sadness |

As nouns the difference between despair and sadness

is that despair is loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency while sadness is the state or emotion of being sad.

As a verb despair

is to give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of.

despair

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (obsolete) To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of.
  • * Milton
    • I would not despair the greatest design that could be attempted.
  • (obsolete) To cause to despair.
  • To be hopeless; to have no hope; to give up all hope or expectation.
  • * Bible, 2 Corinthians i. 8
    • We despaired even of life.

    Noun

  • Loss of hope; utter hopelessness; complete despondency.
    • He turned around in despair , aware that he was not going to survive
  • That which is despaired of.

    • Synonyms

    * desperation * despondency * hopelessness

    Anagrams

    * aspired * diapers * praised

    sadness

    English

    (wikipedia sadness)

    Noun

  • (uncountable) The state or emotion of being sad.
  • (countable) An event in one's life that causes sadness.
    • She has experienced many sadnesses in her forty years.

    Synonyms

    * (state of being sad) forlornness, melancholy * (event causing sadness) misfortune, woe