How to Use desperation in a Sentence

desperation

noun
  • They hired me out of desperation, because they couldn't get anyone else.
  • Finally, in desperation, he tried to flee the country.
  • She felt overcome by desperation.
  • There is some desperation at play here on the part of the teams.
    — Alex Webb, Bloomberg.com, 7 Sep. 2021
  • With four more teams on bye this week, there's desperation in the air.
    — Steve Gardner, USA TODAY, 3 Nov. 2021
  • There was no seat-of-the-pants desperation, no skin-of-the-teeth siege.
    — New York Times, 15 June 2021
  • The voice might be full of desperation.
    — Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2026
  • As is often the case with a good idea, it was born of desperation.
    — BostonGlobe.com, 3 May 2021
  • But this isn’t just a desperation meal.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 May 2026
  • Screams of desperation pierce the air amid the sound of sirens in the distance.
    — Julia Jester, NBC News, 21 Dec. 2023
  • There was a desperation and sense of, ‘Look at me.
    — Leena Tailor, HollywoodReporter, 12 Mar. 2026
  • The change feels like an act of desperation from a coach and a front office on the hot seat.
    — Scott Horner, The Indianapolis Star, 25 Oct. 2022
  • There’s just a desperation to get back to work and that is very clear from the workers.
    — Gene Maddaus, Variety, 4 May 2026
  • Skimp and you’re left with a haunted house that smells like desperation and debt.
    — Bob Bonniol, Rolling Stone, 13 Aug. 2025
  • By the end of the first half, the Bulls’ jump shots were tinged with desperation.
    — Julia Poe, chicagotribune.com, 23 Mar. 2022
  • Smith got it back and hoisted a desperation 3 at the shot-clock buzzer.
    — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Feb. 2022
  • As the shot clock wound down, a desperation 3-pointer banked in off the glass.
    — Ryan Ford, Detroit Free Press, 27 Mar. 2022
  • In desperation, a last-resort weapon was made ready.
    — Doris Decleene, Outdoor Life, 25 Feb. 2026
  • That was not just the confidence of youth, but the desperation of it as well.
    — Lacey Rose, HollywoodReporter, 20 May 2026
  • Trump’s desperation to get out of the war has been obvious for more than two months.
    — Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 17 June 2026
  • This could be the game of the week, largely because of the deep desperation on both sides.
    — Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 11 Mar. 2024
  • Sawdaye said the move isn’t being made out of desperation to win games.
    — Nick Piecoro, The Arizona Republic, 16 June 2021
  • Lauren says the idea came from sheer desperation.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025
  • Do not succumb to any drive to make a desperation move at that time; things can turn around quickly.
    — Magi Helena, Dallas Morning News, 9 Jan. 2026
  • Do not succumb to any drive to make a desperation move at that time, things can turn around quickly.
    — Tribune Content Agency, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2026
  • But calm down, the paintings will be fine — and the desperation is real.
    — Lori Waxman, Chicago Tribune, 8 Dec. 2022
  • In this era, his bad choices, driven by desperation, make much more sense.
    — Katie Walsh, Twin Cities, 11 Oct. 2025
  • The desperation play makes sense.
    — Andrew Zucker, HollywoodReporter, 11 Mar. 2026
  • There is no panic, ego or desperation.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026
  • Riley is not alone in his desperation.
    — Corky Siemaszko, NBC news, 11 Mar. 2026

Some of 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.

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