desperate

adjective

des·​per·​ate ˈde-sp(ə-)rət How to pronounce desperate (audio)
-spərt
Synonyms of desperate
1
a
: having lost hope
a desperate spirit crying for relief
b
: giving no ground for hope
Their financial outlook was desperate.
2
a
: moved by despair or utter loss of hope
victims made desperate by lack of any sign of rescue
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 prove she was innocent
celebrities desperate for attention
4
: involving extreme danger or possible disaster
a desperate situation
5
: of extreme intensity
a desperate shortage of supplies
6
: shocking, outrageous
desperateness noun

Synonyms of desperate

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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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What begins with Steve’s desperate efforts to keep both women in his life soon escalates into a bitter war. — Judy Berman, Time, 8 July 2026 Both the military and the general public read it voraciously, desperate to understand the war tearing their young utopia apart. — Madeleine Wulfahrt, New Yorker, 8 July 2026 Rhys plays Mayor Tom Loftis, who is desperate to revive his struggling community. — Peter White, Deadline, 8 July 2026 Twenty years ago, European broadcasters desperate to scale — to get big or die — got turned down by regulators not yet convinced this new-fangled internet was all that. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for desperate

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

Browse Nearby Words

desperadoism
desperate
desperately
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Desperate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desperate. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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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

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