Drive to despair Meaning in English
expression
ˈdɹaɪv/ /ˈtu/, /tə/, /tɪ/ /dɪˈspɛɹ
DRYV tuh dih-SPAIR
dɹˈaɪv/ /tˈuː/ /dɪspˈeə
dryv too dis-PAIR
Definition
To make someone feel completely hopeless or without hope.
Usage & Nuances
This phrase is formal or literary; it's used to describe making someone so sad or frustrated that they lose hope. Often used with 'by' or 'with' to show the cause ('driven to despair by the news'). Not the same as 'make sad,' as it implies a deeper, more lasting hopelessness.
Spanish: llevar a la desesperaciónPortuguese (BR): levar ao desesperoPortuguese (PT): levar ao desesperoChinese (Simplified): 使绝望Chinese (Traditional): 使絕望Hindi: निराशा की ओर धकेलनाArabic: يدفع إلى اليأسBengali: নিরাশায় ঠেলে দেওয়াRussian: довести до отчаянияJapanese: 絶望させるVietnamese: đẩy đến tuyệt vọngKorean: 절망하게 만들다Turkish: umutsuzluğa sürüklemekUrdu: مایوسی کی طرف لے جاناIndonesian: membuat putus asa
Example Sentences
Continuous failure can drive to despair even the most optimistic person.
basic
Her loneliness started to drive her to despair.
basic
The constant bad news has begun to drive people to despair.
basic
All the job rejections have really driven me to despair lately.
natural
It was the endless waiting that drove us to despair.
natural
If you’re not careful, the stress of this project could drive you to despair.
natural