desperation

noun

des·​per·​a·​tion ˌde-spə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce desperation (audio)
1
: loss of hope and surrender to despair
2
: a state of hopelessness leading to rashness

Examples of desperation in a Sentence

She felt overcome by desperation. the desperation of severe poverty They hired me out of desperation, because they couldn't get anyone else. Finally, in desperation, he tried to flee the country.
Recent Examples on the Web The immediate causes of the chaos were extreme hunger and desperation: The United Nations has warned of a looming famine in northern Gaza, where the incident occurred. Patrick Kingsley, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2024 Shein filed for an IPO last year, and in the 8 months since then, has already had to revise its valuation downward, so the competitive move sounds like some level of desperation. Nikki Baird, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 Here, footprints in the dirt reveal tales of survival and desperation. Longreads, 23 Feb. 2024 Over 20 million people in the Western Hemisphere have been forcibly driven from their homes by violence, repression, extreme weather, and economic desperation. Shannon K. O’Neil, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Excel tutorials won’t fix depression; tweaking fonts and layout feels like repainting the shuffleboard court on the Titanic; and networking is a constant tightrope walk between enthusiasm and desperation. Karla L. Miller, Washington Post, 8 Feb. 2024 That it should not be ruled out is a measure of where Miami’s desperation may be this summer. Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 4 Feb. 2024 Her colleague and best friend Rose (Tamala Jones), however, is fed up and, in an act of desperation after Sharon’s most recent bender, drops her off at Alcoholics Anonymous. Courtney Howard, Variety, 20 Feb. 2024 Cyrus, like most informants, began talking to law enforcement out of desperation. Charles Bethea, The New Yorker, 13 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'desperation.' 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 disperacioun, desperacioun, borrowed from Anglo-French desperaciun, borrowed from Latin dēspērātiōn-, dēspērātiō, from dēspērāre "to give up as hopeless, despair of" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at despair entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of desperation was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near desperation

Cite this Entry

“Desperation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desperation. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

desperation

noun
des·​per·​a·​tion ˌdes-pə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce desperation (audio)
1
: a loss of hope and surrender to misery or dread
2
: a state of hopelessness leading to extreme recklessness

More from Merriam-Webster on desperation

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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