Slough of Despond
Preserved but no longer current.
A period of, or fit of, great depression. In Bunyan's Pilgrim's Pro- gress, Pt. i, it is a deep bog which Christian has to cross in order to get to the Wicket Gate. Help comes to his aid, but Neighbour Pliable turns back.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Slough of Despond” mean?
A period of, or fit of, great depression. In Bunyan's Pilgrim's Pro- gress, Pt. i, it is a deep bog which Christian has to cross in order to get to the Wicket Gate. Help comes to his aid, but Neighbour Pliable turns back.
Is “Slough of Despond” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.