desperate

adjective

des·​per·​ate ˈde-sp(ə-)rət 

-spərt

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

• hopeless
• unhappy
• sad
• disappointed
• despairing
• cynical
• despondent
• heartbroken
• bleak
• depressed

Choose the Right Synonym for desperate

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

Just bearing witness to the marketing for all these murder-mysteries is enough to make any discerning viewer desperate for Hollywood to hurry up and start chasing the next trend already. — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 29 July 2026

Antetokounmpo is desperate to win another NBA championship after claiming his first title in 2021 with the Milwaukee Bucks. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 29 July 2026

Partly because McCarthy is a desperate alcoholic and becoming very sick. — David Frum, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026

The narrative chronicles the desperate struggle for survival in a secluded harbor town after residents discover a mysterious alien entity on their outskirts. — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 July 2026

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

Kids Definition

desperate

adjective

des·​per·​ate ˈdes-p(ə-)rət 

1

: being beyond or almost beyond hope

a desperate illness

2

: reckless because of despair : rash

a desperate attempt

desperately adverb

desperateness noun