dispirited

[Carlospalmar]

Hello:

I would appreciate some help to learn how to use the following words in English. in a sentence like this: I feel..... I looked up under "dispirited" in The Rogest's 21st Century Thesaurus and I found
1. Blue
2.bummed-out
3. Crestfallen
4.Depresed
5.Discouraged
6.Funky
7.Disheartened
8.Shot-down
9.Glum
10. Spiritless

After looking these words up in dictionaries, I felt frustrated because I was not able to find a "road map" to establish the difference between them and the shade of meaning and nuances of each of the words above.
I hope native speakers of English can give me some examples and make some suggestions.
Thank you for you help. I hope I feel less glum/shot-down/funky??? Which one to pick? That is the question, after your help.

 

[xrayspex]

I was not able to find a "road map" to establish the difference between them and the shade of meaning and nuances of each of the words above.


There really isn't much difference in any of them. But here are MY examples, which everybody else may disagree with.




1. Blue "My girlfriend didn't call me yesterday and I felt blue"

2. bummed-out "Someone scratched my car and I was bummed-out"

3. Crestfallen - "I didn't get the job and I was crestfallen."

4. Depressed - "My cat died, my girlfriend left me, and I failed the quiz, and now I am depressed."

5. Discouraged - "I can't remember all of my Esperanto voculary words, and I'm discouraged."

6. Funky - "It rained the whole time I was on holiday and it made us funky."

7. Disheartened - "I practiced all week, but was disheartened to learn than I failed the audition."

8. Shot-down - "I asked Buffy out on a date but she shot me down."

9. Glum - "My neighbor never smiles and I wonder why he is so glum."

10. Spiritless - "The lady who cleans the toilets seems spiritless."

 

[kayokid]

In general, I agree with the examples which xrayspex gave. Here are shades of meaning (in my mind) which may also help clarify some of these words. "Blue" seems a bit old/outdated and a touch literary. "Bummed-out" is certainly more recent and slangy. "Crestfallen" and "disheartened" are stages of being disappointed. First disappointed then disheartened then crestfallen. "Depressed" is the most general term and "down" could also be used in its place. Glum sounds old to me, as well. "Spiritless" sounds like you have been beaten like a dog and emotionally crushed.
Hope this helps.

 

[Carlospalmar]

In general, I agree with the examples which xrayspex gave. Here are shades of meaning (in my mind) which may also help clarify some of these words. "Blue" seems a bit old/outdated and a touch literary. "Bummed-out" is certainly more recent and slangy. "Crestfallen" and "disheartened" are stages of being disappointed. First disappointed then disheartened then crestfallen. "Depressed" is the most general term and "down" could also be used in its place. Glum sounds old to me, as well. "Spiritless" sounds like you have been beaten like a dog and emotionally crushed.
Hope this helps.

Thank you very much. Your clarifying the shades of meaning was very helpful.

Later,

C.

 

[Carlospalmar]

I was not able to find a "road map" to establish the difference between them and the shade of meaning and nuances of each of the words above.


There really isn't much difference in any of them. But here are MY examples, which everybody else may disagree with.




1. Blue "My girlfriend didn't call me yesterday and I felt blue"

2. bummed-out "Someone scratched my car and I was bummed-out"

3. Crestfallen - "I didn't get the job and I was crestfallen."

4. Depressed - "My cat died, my girlfriend left me, and I failed the quiz, and now I am depressed."

5. Discouraged - "I can't remember all of my Esperanto voculary words, and I'm discouraged."

6. Funky - "It rained the whole time I was on holiday and it made us funky."

7. Disheartened - "I practiced all week, but was disheartened to learn than I failed the audition."

8. Shot-down - "I asked Buffy out on a date but she shot me down."

9. Glum - "My neighbor never smiles and I wonder why he is so glum."

10. Spiritless - "The lady who cleans the toilets seems spiritless."

Thank you very much for your examples. They really helped me. One more question about number 8 (shot-down) Is this used when someone shots somebody down? In other words, do you need a "doer" of the action? Can you use it as an adjective? For example: He really seems shot-down after loosing his job.
Thanks again.

Later,

C.

 

[Orange Blossom]

I would not consider 'shot down' as a synonym of 'dispirited'.

Dispirited means lacking in spirit, without spirit or enthusiasm.

'Shot down' is more similar to some meanings 'put down' and does require an agent. She shot down his proposal. He shot down his dreams. A person may become dispirited or blue as a result of that, but in itself 'shot down' is not a synomym.

Orange Blossom