desperately

adverb

des·​per·​ate·​ly ˈde-sp(ə-)rət-lē 

-spərt-

1

: in a way that involves despair, extreme measures, or rashness : in a desperate manner

struggling desperately

desperately crying out

2

: extremely, terribly

desperately tired

desperately important

Synonyms

• extremely
• terribly
• badly
• incredibly
• very
• too
• so
• really
• damn
• damned
• highly
• severely
• seriously
• intensely
• that
• greatly
• far
• wildly
• especially
• much
• heavily
• fiercely
• most

Examples of desperately in a Sentence

all of a sudden everything went desperately wrong

Recent Examples on the Web

While others were desperately fleeing Afghanistan, Seierstad traveled there alone to see the impact of the Taliban victory. —Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 5 Aug. 2025

As blood gushed from a gaping gash on his leg, a fitness trainer and social media influencer found dead in his Harlem apartment was desperately calling his father to relay what was happening — even texting him a picture of what was likely the fatal knife wound. —Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 4 Aug. 2025

Cena transitioned into an STFU and Rhodes desperately grabbed the ropes. —Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2025

Butz and Andreas hit upon an unexpected buyer in 1971: the Soviet Union, which had suffered crop failures and desperately needed grain to feed livestock. —Stephen Mihm, Twin Cities, 3 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

desperate + -ly entry 2

First Known Use

circa 1547, in the meaning defined at sense 1