Dejected vs Downhearted

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Dejected

Beyond 10,000 (less common)B1adjective

Downhearted

 DejectedDownhearted
Pronunciation🇬🇧 //dɪˈdʒɛktɪd//🇺🇸 //dɪˈdʒɛktɪd//
MeaningFeeling sad and without hope.
ExampleAfter losing the game, he felt completely dejected.-
RegisterNeutral-
How commonBeyond 10,000 (less common)-
CEFR levelB1-
Part of speechadjective
Collocationsdejected mood, dejected expression, look dejected-
Antonymselated, cheerful, happy-
Common mistakesConfused with 'rejected' which means not accepted., Using it in contexts unrelated to emotions., Spelling it incorrectly as 'dejectted'.-
Usage notesUse 'dejected' in emotional contexts, often to describe someone who is disappointed. Avoid in overly casual situations.-

See it in real clips

Downhearted

Frequently asked questions: Dejected vs Downhearted

What's the difference between Dejected and Downhearted?

Dejected: Feeling sad and without hope. Downhearted:

Can I use Dejected and Downhearted interchangeably?

Not always. Dejected and Downhearted are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

Related comparisons