as in hopeless
feeling or showing no hope
desperate cancer patients who are vulnerable to the claims of unscrupulous quacks
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of desperate
One of them, Carlos Roberto Montoya Valdéz, ran across the nearby freeway in a desperate attempt to escape.
—
Adrian Florido, NPR, 16 Apr. 2026
Soon, a cycle of blackmail, extortion and fraud ensues, borne of desperate grasping for power and a potentially fatal lack of empathy on all fronts.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
The two men engaged in a desperate grappling match until the backpack finally gave way.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Aida, receiving word that her sons – who were taken by Serbian forces — may be alive and held in a camp, launches a desperate search through a refugee center crowded with thousands of displaced women.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for desperate
Adrian Florido, NPR, 16 Apr. 2026
Soon, a cycle of blackmail, extortion and fraud ensues, borne of desperate grasping for power and a potentially fatal lack of empathy on all fronts.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
The two men engaged in a desperate grappling match until the backpack finally gave way.
—Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Aida, receiving word that her sons – who were taken by Serbian forces — may be alive and held in a camp, launches a desperate search through a refugee center crowded with thousands of displaced women.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for desperate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperate
Adjective
-
During that stretch, Davis has waffled between hopeless and hopeful on a weekly basis.—
Jack Flemming,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
-
After a while, a group of hopeless employees – sent to a training program – wreaks havoc on each one of them.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Fast-forward to the April 7 special election brought to a ballot by residents unhappy with the changes.—
John Aguilar,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
-
One of them, Amy, a blond child with limp ponytails and a thin dress that looks like it might have been stained, stands outside a porch door, her fists balled up, mouth open, angry or unhappy or both.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
All our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this incredibly sad time.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
-
That was very sad that Soft Cell’s Dave Ball died at just 66.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Make the most of the wait People may feel disappointed about having to wait before getting a FHA loan, but Steffy said focus on the goal of finally being able to afford a home and use the time productively.—
Medora Lee,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
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Councilman Charlie Brown, D-3rd, said he was disappointed to hear that Katona hasn’t been coming into work, especially amid an election year.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Irony doesn’t have to be nihilistic or despairing.—
Aaron Matz,
The New York Review of Books,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Rebin carries a despairing sense of hope in him, months later.—
Cora Engelbrecht,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The proper response to this is a cynical groan.—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Season 2, in the big picture, takes a cynical approach to modern relationships, asking if love is an inherently selfish endeavor within a capitalistic society, where your quality of life is so heavily influenced by what’s in your bank account.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
16 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Yet, as the country’s fractious politics show, Americans are increasingly despondent.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Triggering can also make someone depressed, anxious, despondent or even suicidal.—
Charles Trepany,
USA Today,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Based on the 1995 novel by Alice Hoffman, Practical Magic follows the witchy women of the Owens’ family, whose heartbroken ancestor cursed their bloodline so that any man who falls in love with an Owens woman dies a tragic death.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
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Instead, Janai Norman — the warm, radiant presence who had become the heart of weekend Good Morning America — said goodbye through a tearful Instagram video on April 3 that left loyal viewers blindsided and heartbroken.—
Samantha Agate,
Kansas City Star,
21 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Desperate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desperate. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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