dejection
Americannoun
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depression or lowness of spirits.
- Antonyms:
- exhilaration
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Medicine/Medical, Physiology.
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evacuation of the bowels; fecal discharge.
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noun
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lowness of spirits; depression; melancholy
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-
faecal matter evacuated from the bowels; excrement
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the act of defecating; defecation
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dejection
1400–50; late Middle English deieccioun < Latin dējectiōn- (stem of dējectiō ) a throwing down, equivalent to dēject ( us ) ( see deject) + -iōn- -ion
Explanation
Someone overcoming the loss of a loved one might be in a state of dejection or depression for some time. It's all part of the grieving process. Dejection comes from the Latin deicere meaning "throw down." When you're in a state of dejection, your emotions are really thrown down in the dumps. Dejection is also a fancy word for the solid excretory product your bowels release, or in other words: poop. Regardless of which definition you're using, it's safe to say that when it comes to your well-being, dejection is just not something you want to hang onto.
Vocabulary lists containing dejection
The Great Gatsby
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The Mysterious Benedict Society
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"The Open Boat" by Stephen Crane
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In the former he proved compellingly contemplative and introspective, while in the latter he established an impressive arc, growing from unleashing unbounded, extroverted dimensions to embodying crumpled dejection.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 9, 2026
An hour or so ago, he finished last in the Electric Truck A-Main race, but he wore no dejection on his face.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2025
“I woke up with a big smile on my face today, feeling very loved by all of you,” he wrote on a carousel of photos showing his postrace dejection.
From Seattle Times ● May 27, 2024
That would have been easily forgotten looking at the dejection on the players' faces at the end of an utterly captivating tussle with a rejuvenated England.
From BBC ● Mar. 10, 2024
He contemplated the motionless saw with a kind of hopeful dejection.
From "The Sound and the Fury" by William Faulkner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.