DESPERATELY Synonyms: 138 Similar and Opposite Words

desperately

adverb

ˈde-sp(ə-)rət-lē

Definition of desperately

as in extremely

to a great degree all of a sudden everything went desperately wrong

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of desperately Cohen insists the joke was always on Ali G, not the Black culture the character was so desperately trying to emulate. — Maxwell Adler, Vanity Fair, 27 Oct. 2026 The Democrats desperately need to chart a new course for their party. — Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2026 Home for Good is an investment in our communities that desperately need it. — Lake County News-Sun, Chicago Tribune, 22 Oct. 2026 Kurt's key takeaways What struck me most about my conversation with George is how much money is being made from messages that so many of us desperately want to stop. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for desperately

Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperately

Adverb

How Cube Steak Is Used and Cooked Cube steak is extremely versatile.

— Natalia Vela, Southern Living, 3 Nov. 2026
California has gotten extremely soft on accountability with youth.

— Richard Ramos, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of extremely

Adverb

After a dance team audition goes terribly wrong, a group of girls at a Catholic high school start experiencing mysterious visions.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026
That’s not terribly surprising given the two teams have clashed multiple times over the past 25 years of Xbox.

— Tom Warren, The Verge, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of terribly

Adverb

Photos show the badly charred facility was filled with potentially explosive equipment and moonshine ingredients, including propane tanks.

— Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 27 Oct. 2026
This hint of connection between them is later made concrete when, at the demonstration, the two are complicit in an act of defiance — throwing a cobblestone at a policeman, badly injuring him — and must skip town for the night.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of badly

Adverb

For example, because of their own home-buying timeline, a seller may need to close very quickly or may need more time than usual.

— Kelsey Neubauer, CNBC, 28 Oct. 2026
These songs are very evidently arranged, with ticklish, left-field grooves and tight pockets—never too tight for the persistent, puckish charm, the elbow-nudging glee.

— Samuel Hyland, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of very

Adverb

These songs are very evidently arranged, with ticklish, left-field grooves and tight pockets—never too tight for the persistent, puckish charm, the elbow-nudging glee.

— Samuel Hyland, Pitchfork, 28 Oct. 2026
Ross started the second-half scoring, too, with another two handed flush off a pass from Demary, who started the fast break chance with his second steal of the game.

— Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 28 Oct. 2026

Definition of too

Adverb

Its sweet, soft, umami-rich profile can shift the taste of a recipe, so Czerwony suggests using about half the usual amount of garlic and adjusting from there.

— Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2026
But when the lines between sincerity and cynicism are so blurred, does intention even matter?

— Andrew Ryce, Pitchfork, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of so

Adverb

And yet 59% of the Hornets’ shots came from three-point range — this is a team that really never stops shooting them, for better or for worse.

— Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 24 Oct. 2026
Loves, cities, and musical genres may change, but that girl who felt left out has never really stopped writing.

— Ilaria Perrotta, Vanity Fair, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of really

Browse Nearby Words

desperate

desperately

desperateness

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“Desperately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desperately. Accessed 4 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of desperately

adverb

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