Korean word

절망하다

Pronunciation

Romanizationcheolmanghada

Meaning

  • verblose hope

Example

일자리를 잃고 절망했어요.il ja ri reul il ko cheol mang hae sseo yo

I lost my job and lost hope.

Illustration for 절망하다 (lose hope)

More examples

오랜 노력 끝에 실패해서 완전히 절망했어요.o raen no ryeok kkeu se sil pae hae seo wan jeon hi cheol mang hae sseo yo

After a long period of effort, I failed and completely lost hope.

Core concept

The future appears empty of both hope and realistic possibility.

Common phrases

  • 완전히 절망하다wan jeon hi cheol mang ha da

    completely lose hope

  • 거의 절망하다keo ui cheol mang ha da

    nearly lose hope

Similar words

실망하다silmanghada: Feel let down because an expected result or behavior falls short.
좌절하다chwajeolhada: Lose motivation after a setback blocks progress toward a goal.
포기하다pogihada: Stop pursuing a goal or plan after deciding that continuing is pointless.
체념하다chenyeomhada: Accept that a situation cannot be changed and give up trying to alter it.

Definition in Korean

희망이나 가능성이 거의 사라져 앞으로의 기대를 완전히 놓는다는 뜻의 동사hi mang i na ka neung seong i keo ui sa ra jeo a peu ro ui ki dae reul wan jeon hi non neun da neun tteu sui tong sa

Word origin

절망하다 (jeolmanghada, "to lose hope") is a Sino-Korean formation built from 절망 (jeolmang, "despair") and 하다 (hada, "to do").

Usage tips

  • In conversation, the word can sound dramatic, so its use often signals that the speaker feels deeply defeated rather than merely disappointed.

Opposites

  • 낙관하다nakkkwanhadabe optimisticverb
  • 긍정하다keungjeonghadaaffirmverb

Related words

  • 절망감cheolmanggamdespairnoun
  • 절망스럽다cheolmangseureopttahopelessadjective

Word lists with this word