desperate

adjective

des·​per·​ate ˈde-sp(ə-)rət How to pronounce desperate (audio)
-spərt
Synonyms of desperatenext
1
a
: having lost hope
a desperate spirit crying for relief
b
: giving no ground for hope
the outlook was desperate
2
a
: moved by despair or utter loss of hope
victims made desperate by abuse
b
: involving or employing extreme measures in an attempt to escape defeat or frustration
made a desperate leap for the rope
3
: suffering extreme need or anxiety
desperate for money
desperate to escape
celebrities desperate for attention
4
: involving extreme danger or possible disaster
a desperate situation
5
: of extreme intensity
… a desperate languor descended heavily upon her, and she slept …—Elinor Wylie
6
: shocking, outrageous
desperateness noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for desperate

despondent, despairing, desperate, hopeless mean having lost all or nearly all hope.

despondent implies a deep dejection arising from a conviction of the uselessness of further effort.

despondent about yet another rejection

despairing suggests the slipping away of all hope and often despondency.

despairing appeals for the return of the kidnapped child

desperate implies despair that prompts reckless action or violence in the face of defeat or frustration.

one last desperate attempt to turn the tide of battle

hopeless suggests despair and the cessation of effort or resistance and often implies acceptance or resignation.

the situation of the trapped miners is hopeless

Examples of desperate in a Sentence

The collapse of her business had made her desperate. As the supply of food ran out, people became desperate. We could hear their desperate cries for help. a desperate struggle to defeat the enemy He made a desperate bid to save his job. They made one last desperate attempt to fight their way out.
Recent Examples on the Web Even before Donald announced his retirement last month, the Rams were in desperate need of pass rushers, especially edge rushers. —Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024 That night, several of the Russians, in a desperate dash, successfully escaped. —Luke Mogelson, The New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2024 But the pop song echoed down empty hallways now, and Knoll knew his inbox would once again be filled with messages from desperate patients. —Casey Parks, Washington Post, 7 Apr. 2024 The situation in the Gaza Strip is now dire, with millions not having enough food, housing, or medical care to meet the needs of a desperate population. —Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 7 Apr. 2024 Flashbacks to Kid’s origins as a desperate child who witnessed his mother’s death and his village’s destruction get replayed one too many times, slowing the plot’s momentum. —Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 5 Apr. 2024 The threat of mass casualties, and of desperate Palestinians trying to flee into Egypt, looms large. —Mairav Zonszein, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024 The figure represents a significant expansion of the refugee program, which is at the heart of U.S. laws that provide desperate people from around the world with a legal way to find safe haven in the United States. —Hamed Aleaziz, New York Times, 2 Apr. 2024 The desperate effort had been ongoing since the collapse of the bridge about 1:30 a.m. Tuesday after being struck by a freighter. —Justine McDaniel, Washington Post, 27 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'desperate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English desperat, borrowed from Latin dēspērātus, past participle of dēspērāre "to give up as hopeless, despair of" — more at despair entry 2

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of desperate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near desperate

desperadoism

desperate

desperately

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Desperate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desperate. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.

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Kids Definition

desperate

adjective
des·​per·​ate ˈdes-p(ə-)rət How to pronounce desperate (audio)
1
: being beyond or almost beyond hope
a desperate illness
2
: reckless because of despair : rash
a desperate attempt
desperately adverb
desperateness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on desperate

Nglish: Translation of desperate for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of desperate for Arabic Speakers

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