dejected 🔊
Meaning of dejected
Feeling sad and dispirited; low in spirits due to disappointment or despair.
Key Difference
Dejected implies a visible or profound sadness, often due to a specific setback, whereas synonyms like 'sad' or 'unhappy' are more general.
Example of dejected
- After losing the championship match, the team walked off the field looking utterly dejected.
- She felt dejected when her manuscript was rejected by multiple publishers.
Synonyms
disheartened 🔊
Meaning of disheartened
Having lost determination or confidence; feeling discouraged.
Key Difference
Disheartened focuses more on the loss of hope or motivation, while dejected emphasizes visible sadness.
Example of disheartened
- The volunteers were disheartened after the community center project got canceled.
- He grew disheartened when his efforts to reconcile with his friend went unnoticed.
crestfallen 🔊
Meaning of crestfallen
Feeling shame or disappointment that shows in one's demeanor.
Key Difference
Crestfallen often implies a sudden drop in confidence or pride, whereas dejected is a broader term for sadness.
Example of crestfallen
- The contestant was crestfallen when the judges criticized her performance harshly.
- After forgetting his lines on stage, the actor looked crestfallen.
despondent 🔊
Meaning of despondent
In low spirits from loss of hope or courage.
Key Difference
Despondent suggests a deeper, more prolonged hopelessness, while dejected can be temporary.
Example of despondent
- After months of unemployment, he became despondent and withdrew from social life.
- The refugees were despondent after yet another failed attempt to find asylum.
downcast 🔊
Meaning of downcast
Feeling sad or discouraged, often reflected in one's expression.
Key Difference
Downcast specifically refers to a visibly sad expression, while dejected can be internalized.
Example of downcast
- Her downcast eyes revealed her disappointment even before she spoke.
- The students were downcast after hearing about the canceled field trip.
melancholy 🔊
Meaning of melancholy
A deep, pensive, and long-lasting sadness.
Key Difference
Melancholy is more poetic and reflective, while dejected is a reaction to a specific event.
Example of melancholy
- The old letters filled her with a sense of melancholy for times gone by.
- There was a melancholy atmosphere in the abandoned house.
forlorn 🔊
Meaning of forlorn
Pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely.
Key Difference
Forlorn implies loneliness and abandonment, while dejected focuses on sadness from disappointment.
Example of forlorn
- The forlorn puppy waited by the roadside for its owner to return.
- She gave a forlorn glance at the empty chair where her friend used to sit.
glum 🔊
Meaning of glum
Looking or feeling dejected; morose.
Key Difference
Glum is a more informal term, often describing a temporary mood, while dejected is more intense.
Example of glum
- He was glum after realizing he had missed the last train home.
- The rainy weather made everyone at the picnic feel glum.
woebegone 🔊
Meaning of woebegone
Looking sorrowful or miserable.
Key Difference
Woebegone is an old-fashioned term emphasizing a pitiful appearance, while dejected is more commonly used.
Example of woebegone
- The stray dog’s woebegone expression made her decide to adopt it.
- His woebegone face told the story of his struggles.
morose 🔊
Meaning of morose
Sullen and ill-tempered due to sadness.
Key Difference
Morose includes irritability, while dejected is purely sadness without anger.
Example of morose
- After the argument, he sat in morose silence for hours.
- The morose child refused to join the other kids in playing.
Conclusion
- Dejected is best used when describing a visible, profound sadness caused by a specific disappointment.
- Disheartened can be used when someone loses motivation or hope after a setback.
- Crestfallen is ideal for sudden, pride-related disappointment, like after a public failure.
- Despondent should be used for deep, prolonged hopelessness, such as in long-term struggles.
- Downcast fits when sadness is clearly reflected in someone's expression or posture.
- Melancholy is more suited for reflective, lingering sadness, often with no immediate cause.
- Forlorn works best when describing sadness mixed with loneliness or abandonment.
- Glum is a casual term for temporary low spirits, often due to minor inconveniences.
- Woebegone is an expressive, somewhat archaic term emphasizing a pitiable appearance.
- Morose is appropriate when sadness is accompanied by sullenness or irritability.