Quranic root
قنط
q · n · ṭ
The root denotes despairing of something: giving up hope in it, especially hope of good or divine mercy.
The core despair sense appears in the Form I verb and its participial derivatives. Classical Arabic also extends it to a causative Form II meaning “to make someone despair” and an intensive adjectival form meaning “intensely despairing,” while recording a separate noun use for withholding.
- Maqāyīs · row 3877
- Lane · entry 9031
- Lane · entry 9032
- Lane · entry 9036
- Mufradāt · row 1213
- 3
- Quran-attested forms
- 3
- Quran senses
- 6
- Quran occurrences
Forms in the Quran
The forms this root actually takes in the Quran. Select one to jump to its senses and examples.
قَنَطَ
qanaṭa
- Part of speech
- Verb · Form I
- Form
- I
- Quran occurrences
- 4 occurrences
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
To despair of something; to give up hope of good or mercy.
The Quranic construction uses مِنْ for what is despaired of, especially divine mercy or good. Reported vocalic and dialectal variants of the Form I verb do not create additional senses.
- Lane · entry 9031
- Mufradāt · row 1213
Selected Quran examples
قَانِط
qāniṭ
- Part of speech
- Active participle
- Quran occurrences
- 1 occurrence
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
Despairing; one who has given up hope of good.
An active participle, occurring in the Quran in the plural قَانِطِينَ; in its cited construction it denotes those who despair and are told not to do so.
- Lane · entry 9036
- Mufradāt · row 1213
Selected Quran examples
Quran 15:55word 7
“the despairing”
قَنُوط
qanūṭ
- Part of speech
- Intensive adjective
- Quran occurrences
- 1 occurrence
Selected examples are shown with the sense they illustrate — chosen to teach that sense, not the complete list of this form’s Quran occurrences.
Intensely despairing; profoundly hopeless.
A Quranic nominal/adjectival characterization treated lexically as an intensive counterpart of قَانِط. The cited verse places it in a paired description with يَؤُوسٌ.
- Lane · entry 9036
- Mufradāt · row 1213
Selected Quran examples
Quran 41:49word 11
“(and) despairs”
Occurrences in the Quran
Every place this root appears, in Quran order. The first few are shown here.
- 15:55ٱلْقَـٰنِطِينَthe despairing
- 15:56يَقْنَطُdespairs
- 30:36يَقْنَطُونَdespair
- 39:53تَقْنَطُوا۟despair
- 41:49قَنُوطٌۭ(and) despairs
Broader Classical Arabic meanings
Recorded for this root in the Classical lexicons beyond its Quran usage. These are secondary to the Quran senses above.
Show 3 Classical meanings
قَنْط
Withholding or debarring; specifically, withholding one's water from others.
A distinct Classical noun use, as in withholding water from someone.
- Lane · entry 9031
قَنَّطَ
To cause someone to despair; to make someone give up hope.
A transitive causative Form II construction, including causing people to despair of God's mercy.
- Lane · entry 9032
قَنِط
Despairing; having given up hope.
A Classical adjectival form treated alongside قَانِط; it is distinct in form from the supplied Quranic active-participle group.
- Lane · entry 9036
Cautions
Points that affect how this root should be read.
قَنُوط is tagged as a Quranic nominal by QAC but is lexically characterized here as an intensive adjectival form, distinct from the ordinary active participle قَانِط.