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

the outlook was desperate

2

a

: moved by despair or utter loss of hope

victims made desperate by abuse

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 escape

celebrities desperate for attention

4

: involving extreme danger or possible disaster

a desperate situation

5

: of extreme intensity

… a desperate languor descended heavily upon her, and she slept …

—Elinor Wylie

6

: shocking, outrageous

desperateness noun

Synonyms

• 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

The leaders of both are desperate to find a ‘solution’ to the issue, in order to ward off the electoral challenges from right-wing parties such as Reform U.K. and France’s National Rally. —Frey Lindsay, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025

Both the Rig Hands and LA Riot are 1-1 this season, and will be desperate for a win to get over the .500 mark in this Big3 basketball season. —Kilty Cleary, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025

Separate efforts by the United Nations to distribute limited food have been plagued by armed gangs looting trucks and by crowds of desperate people offloading supplies from convoys. —Wafaa Shurafa, Arkansas Online, 29 June 2025

And when Marcus is in desperate need of help with the desserts, his former teacher Luca just so happens to be in town and willing to work for free for weeks on end. —Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 28 June 2025

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