To give up the will, courage, or spirit; to be thoroughly disheartened; to lose all courage; to become dispirited or depressed; to take an unhopeful view
a situation in which you are very unhappy and there seems to be no hope that things will improve. The expression comes from the name of a place in the book ThePilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
Despondency is a strong feeling of unhappiness caused by difficulties which you feel you cannot overcome. There's a mood of gloom and despondency in the country. = dejection
If you are despondent, you are very unhappy because you have been experiencing difficulties that you think you will not be able to overcome. I feel despondent when my work is rejected. + despondently de·spond·ent·ly Despondently, I went back and told Bill the news. extremely unhappy and without hope (despondere , from spondere )