desperately

adverb

des·per·ate·ly ˈde-sp(ə-)rət-lē

-spərt-

Synonyms of desperately

: in a way that involves despair, extreme measures, or rashness : in a desperate manner

struggling desperately

desperately crying out

: extremely, terribly

desperately tired

desperately important

Examples of desperately in a Sentence

all of a sudden everything went desperately wrong

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.

Fielder played up a version of himself on the show, acting as a dumbly ambitious business school graduate, socially inept and desperately seeking connection. — Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2026 The Democrats desperately need to chart a new course for their party. — Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2026 Home for Good is an investment in our communities that desperately need it. — Lake County News-Sun, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 Kurt's key takeaways What struck me most about my conversation with George is how much money is being made from messages that so many of us desperately want to stop. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for desperately

Word History

Etymology

desperate + -ly entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of desperately was circa 1547

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

desperate

desperately

desperateness

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Desperately.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desperately. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

desperately

adverb

Synonyms of desperately

Examples of desperately in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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