Dejection
/dɪˈdʒɛkʃən/
nounB2
Definition
Dejection means feeling very sad, unhappy, or discouraged. It is more than just being a little sad; it is a deep feeling of low mood and loss of hope. People feel dejection when things do not go well or when they feel defeated.
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⚡ See It in Action
A strong feeling of sadness or low spirit
- •After losing the game, he sat in dejection for hours.
- •The news of the cancellation filled her with dejection.
- •His dejection was clear on his face after the bad exam result.
A mood of discouragement or being downhearted
- •The team's dejection was obvious after the defeat.
- •Despite the dejection, she tried to keep working hard.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "dejection" like "sad" (A1 word), but much stronger and longer-lasting—like sadness that feels heavy inside
- ✓Picture someone sitting alone with their head down, feeling like nothing will get better soon
- ✓It's the feeling when you try hard but still fail, and you feel very disappointed and tired inside
- ✓Sounds like "de-JECTION" → imagine something being "thrown down" (like "eject") inside your heart, making it feel heavy and low
- ✓Think of a rainy day with gray clouds that make you feel quiet and low in energy
- ✓NOT like "disappointment" (which can be brief and about one event), "dejection" is a deeper, more lasting sadness
- ✓NOT like "depression" (a medical condition), "dejection" is a feeling that can happen to anyone after a sad event
- ✓NOT like "joy" or "happiness" which are positive feelings; dejection is the opposite, a feeling of low spirit
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Melancholy: deep, thoughtful sadness (Use when sadness is quiet and reflective)
- •Gloom: darkness or sadness in mood (Use when describing a dark or low mood atmosphere)
- •Despair: complete loss of hope (Use when sadness reaches a very strong and hopeless level)
- •Disappointment: feeling unhappy because something did not happen as expected (Use when sadness is about a specific event)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "de-" (down, away) + root "ject" (throw) + suffix "-ion" (noun form)
- •Etymology: From Latin "dejectio," meaning "a throwing down" or "cast down"
- •Historical development: Originally meant to be thrown down physically, later used to describe feeling "cast down" in spirit or mood
- •Modern usage: Used to describe a strong feeling of sadness or low spirit after failure, loss, or bad news
- •Key insight: The word suggests feeling like your spirit is "thrown down" or lowered inside you
💭 Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when you felt dejection? What helped you feel better afterward?
•How is dejection different from simple sadness or disappointment in your own experience?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.After hearing the bad news, she was filled with dejection and ___ to speak to anyone.
2.Dejection often comes after ___ important goals or dreams.
3.Unlike disappointment, dejection usually lasts ___ and affects how a person feels inside.
4.People sometimes try to hide their dejection by ___ a brave face.
5.The silence in the room showed the team's dejection after they ___ the match.
6.Dejection can make someone feel ___ and lose interest in activities they used to enjoy.
7.When someone feels dejection, they might ___ to be alone for a while to recover.