desperate

adjective des·per·ate \ ˈdes-p(ə-)rət , -pərt \

|Updated on: 16 Jun 2018

Tip: Synonym Guide

Examples: desperate in a Sentence

Definition of desperate

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

See desperate defined for English-language learners

See desperate defined for kids

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 of desperate from the Web

Even Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta recently questioned whether drug testing made sense for employers desperate for workers.

— katie johnston, BostonGlobe.com, "With marijuana sales set to begin, employers grapple with drug tests," 12 June 2018
He’s now 11th in the chase, 132 points beyond Power and desperate for a win.

— jim ayello, Indianapolis Star, "IndyCar Texas preview: Why more mayhem could be on tap, and Will Power could win," 7 June 2018
This makes our debt an exceptionally safe investment, in a world growing evermore crowded with savers desperate for a secure place to store their wealth.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "Democrats Must Reject Howard Schultz and His Radical Centrist Ideology," 6 June 2018
Kaepernick, of course, remains unemployed despite being a young, gifted quarterback in a sport desperate for them.

— greg cote, miamiherald, "It was easy being a sports fan, once. Post-Kaepernick, it can demand a moral reckoning," 1 June 2018
But state governments were desperate for money from anywhere; all but four eventually entered the contest.

— valerie strauss, Washington Post, "What and who is fueling the movement to privatize public education — and why you should care," 30 May 2018
To be clear, the story of how the United States mistreats migrant families, so desperate for a better life, can be a confusing tale — especially as emotions flare on social media.

— will bunch, Philly.com, "1,475 lost kids, the yellow bracelet, and the human stain on American morality | Will Bunch," 27 May 2018
The construction was not led by an elite squad of seasoned dam builders but by an army of unemployed fry cooks, gas station attendants and plumbers —men desperate for work during the Great Depression.

— roger naylor, azcentral, "Hoover Dam: Tours, sightseeing and how to get there from Las Vegas and Phoenix," 23 May 2018
The last cost will hurt a Pistons fan base desperate for any bit of good news, with the franchise undertaking searches for a president of basketball operations and a head coach — the fourth and fifth searches since Gores purchased the team in 2011.

— vince ellis, Detroit Free Press, "Detroit Pistons likely to pay for Blake Griffin at NBA draft lottery," 15 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'desperate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of desperate

Latin desperatus, past participle of desperare — see ²despair

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

desperate Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of 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

DESPERATE Defined for English Language Learners

desperate

adjective

Definition of desperate for English Language Learners

: very sad and upset because of having little or no hope : feeling or showing despair
: very bad or difficult to deal with
: done with all of your strength or energy and with little hope of succeeding