desperate

adjective

des·​per·​ate ˈde-sp(ə-)rət How to pronounce desperate (audio)
-spərt
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
desperateness noun
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 European carriers, for their part, don’t appear to be desperate for a new plane. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 15 Mar. 2024 The dire shortages and retreat of authorities have led to desperate scrambles around aid convoys and scenes of chaos that Gazans were unaccustomed to. Hazem Balousha, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 At first glance, Torres’ debut film seems like a quirky, millennial visual feast about a desperate El Salvadorian and a maniac artist. The Arizona Republic, 14 Mar. 2024 Despite the pressure, the midfielder was laughing and joking with the children lining up in front of the players before kick-off, doing his best to reassure them amid the boisterous atmosphere created by the fans desperate to see their side progress in Europe’s premier competition. Ben Church, CNN, 13 Mar. 2024 When desperate Gaza City residents mobbed one of several aid trucks brought in by local businesspeople in coordination with Israeli officials, Israeli troops opened fire on the crowd. Taylor Luck, The Christian Science Monitor, 12 Mar. 2024 Her case was cold, and the heartbroken matriarch was desperate for answers. Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, 10 Mar. 2024 In Thursday's address, the president announced the U.S. military will build a temporary emergency pier to facilitate the delivery of aid to civilians desperate for food and medicine. Deirdre Walsh, NPR, 8 Mar. 2024 The loss was a stinging defeat for Ukraine, which up until the last minute was still rushing troops to the city in a desperate last-ditch attempt to hold the Russians off. Kostiantyn Khudov, Washington Post, 2 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

Cite this Entry

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

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

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