# despair

> English word · Verb · IPA /dɪˈspɛə(ɹ)/ · frequency rank #9,319

## Definitions
1. To give up as beyond hope or expectation; to despair of.
2. To cause to despair.
3. To be hopeless; to have no hope; to give up all hope or expectation.

## Etymology
From Middle English dispeir, from Anglo-Norman despeir and Old French desperer (from Latin dēspērō, dēspērāre), or desesperer, from des- (“dis-”) + esperer (“hope”). See also desperate. Displaced native Old English ormōdnes (“despair”) and Old English ortrīewan (“to despair”).

## Easily confused with
- **Desai** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/desai-vs-despair)

## Common misspellings (10)
`ddespair`, `depsair`, `desapir`, `despairr`, `despari`, `despiar`, `desppair`, `desspair`, `dsepair`, `edspair`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/despair