adjectivenounnoun
éperdu
distraught
Definition & meaning
Éperdu means overwhelmed by a powerful emotion, to the point of losing composure or control.
- It can express distress or agitation: éperdu de peur means “wild with fear.”
- It can also express an intense positive feeling: éperdu d’amour means “madly in love.”
When describing a feeling or action, it can mean intense, desperate, or frenzied.
Grammar & Word origin
An adjective, éperdu agrees with the noun it describes: masculine plural éperdus, feminine singular éperdue, and feminine plural éperdues.
It comes from an old form related to perdre (“to lose”), originally conveying the idea of being completely lost or overwhelmed.
Synonyms & antonyms
- affolé — “panicked” or “frenzied”; usually emphasizes fear or confusion.
- bouleversé — “deeply upset” or “shaken”; less suggestive of a loss of control.
- calme — “calm”; the opposite of being emotionally overwhelmed.
- maître de soi — “self-controlled”; emphasizes retaining control over one’s emotions.
Common phrases & collocations
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Examples
Ils semblaient éperdus après avoir entendu la nouvelle.adjective
They seemed distraught after hearing the news.
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