These terms all relate to negative emotional states but have distinct connotations in intensity, duration, and usage.
Despondency
Definition: A state of deep despair, hopelessness, or discouragement.
Characteristics: * Intensity: Often the most severe and profound of the three. * Duration: Typically implies a longer-lasting emotional state.
Usage: * Literature: “The protagonist’s despondency grew with each failed attempt to escape his fate.” * Formal writing: “The prolonged economic recession led to widespread despondency among job seekers.” * Casual conversation: “After months of fruitless job searching, John sank into despondency.”
Collocations: deep despondency, utter despondency, sink into despondency
Dejection
Definition: A state of sadness, disappointment, or lowered spirits.
Characteristics: * Intensity: Usually less intense than despondency but more than gloom. * Duration: Can be short-lived or last for a moderate period.
Usage: * Literature: “Her dejection was palpable as she read the rejection letter.” * Formal writing: “The team’s dejection following their narrow defeat was evident in the post-match interview.” * Casual conversation: “Sarah’s dejection was clear as she left the audition, convinced she hadn’t performed well.”
Collocations: air of dejection, overcome with dejection
Gloom
Definition: A state of melancholy, pessimism, or despondency.
Characteristics: * Intensity: Generally less severe than despondency and can be similar to or less intense than dejection. * Duration: Can be situational or short-lived, but may also persist for some time.
Usage: * Literature: “A pall of gloom hung over the household in the days following the funeral.” * Formal writing: “The constant rain cast a gloom over the entire town, affecting both tourism and local morale.” * Casual conversation: “The gloomy weather matched my mood perfectly.”
Collocations: doom and gloom, dispel the gloom
Comparison
- Intensity: Despondency > Dejection > Gloom (generally)
- Duration: Despondency (often long-term) > Dejection (moderate) > Gloom (variable)
- Cause:
- Despondency: Often stems from a deep sense of despair or loss of hope
- Dejection: Typically triggered by specific disappointing events
- Gloom: Can be caused by external circumstances (like weather) or internal mindset
Synonyms
- Despondency: hopelessness, despair, depression
- Dejection: disappointment, downheartedness, low spirits
- Gloom: melancholy, pessimism, sombreness