# slough of despond

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈslaʊ əv ˈdɛspɒnd/

## Definitions
1. A dreary bog or marsh.
2. A state of disheartening hopelessness; pit of despair.

## Etymology
From the name of a bog in The Pilgrim's Progress (1678) by English writer and preacher John Bunyan (1628–1688).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-09-03.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/slough-of-despond