DESPERATION Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

desperation

noun

ˌde-spə-ˈrā-shən

Definition of desperation

as in despair

utter loss of hope during the famine her desperation drove her to do things she wouldn't have normally considered

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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.

Recent Examples of desperation Tensions flared Saturday as desperation grew in Venezuela’s state of La Guaira as rescuers and civilians searched for earthquake survivors and the death toll rose sharply to 1,430. — Regina Cano Garcia, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026 Tensions flared Saturday as desperation grew among anguished residents of the Venezuelan state of La Guaira, where rescuers and civilians searched for earthquake survivors amid a sharply rising death toll. — Arkansas Online, 28 June 2026 Ada’s overlapping cycles of initiation and desperation are intensely dramatic, but the movie’s hectic pace leaves each of them merely encapsulated in brief onscreen action or a few lines of dialogue, left undeveloped. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 27 June 2026 But the show repeatedly undercuts that point of view by halfway reinforcing the age-old American assumption that crime is born of poor individual choices among an uncivilized populace, not of poverty, desperation, and preservation, both self and communal. — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 27 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for desperation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperation

Noun

Detainees had little access to recreational activities and time outside, which mental health experts say exacerbates their despair.

— Perla Trevizo, ProPublica, 3 July 2026
Whether the episode amounted to anything beyond hearsay amid the ubiquitous sense of mass confusion and despair remains a question mark.

— Mery Mogollón, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026

Definition of despair

Noun

Nonetheless, Simón stirs up the ineffable sadness that comes with wanting answers to the mysteries of your family — and then, like it or not, receiving them.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
There’s a frank sadness to nearly every scene, but also a tenderness and warmth between these two unlikely friends.

— Jordan Hoffman, Entertainment Weekly, 1 July 2026

Definition of sadness

Noun

But where some might see hopelessness, Ortiz sees an opportunity for connection.

— Joy Resmovits for The Trace, CBS News, 23 June 2026
And when young people feel disconnected or believe systems are unresponsive to their daily experiences, that disconnection can deepen isolation and hopelessness.

— Monica Gordon, Chicago Tribune, 22 June 2026

Definition of hopelessness

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desperateness

desperation

despicable

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“Desperation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desperation. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of desperation

noun

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