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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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 The driver was unconscious; Boyd’s stepfather and his crew scoured the site desperately. — Peter Hessler, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026 Plus, cutting bait with the coach would mean paying one of the biggest buyouts in the history of the sport — money that USC could desperately use to keep building up the talent in the program. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026 Knoxville said to IndieWire, searching desperately for the answer. — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 25 Sep. 2026 Books and stationary, burned for fuel in times of starvation and now subject to Israeli import restrictions, remain in desperately short supply. — Ghada Abdulfattah, Christian Science Monitor, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for desperately

Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperately

Adverb

Eco effort D’Inghilterra’s sustainability efforts stand out at Café Romano where the ingredients are local and extremely fresh—the chef likely selected the veggies in your salad from the market that morning.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Arrests near schools or colleges have increased, though enforcement actions on campuses are extremely uncommon.

— Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of extremely

Adverb

The wish, of course, goes terribly wrong, leading to bloody consequences for Bear, Nikki and their friends.

— Jack Dunn, Variety, 29 Sep. 2026
Fortunately, if no less terribly, there is more to the story, and many of the most compelling scenes have little or nothing to do with Michael.

— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of terribly

Adverb

The rooms are incredibly cozy, with gas fireplaces, a pull-out couch, and framed images of different landmarks around the Presidio.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
His incredibly sharp eye for talent coupled with strong instincts and deep relationships are a dynamic combination for artist management.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of incredibly

Adverb

The hotel is very grown up, and therefore not exactly relaxing with very young kids (or, at least, not with my kid)—although children are not discouraged.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
Thirteen are rated at very high risk or in default, and 23 have no rating from the big agencies, which cuts them from international bond markets.

— Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of very

Adverb

Jaguar’s customers were also aging, and its competition—previously BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Audi, and the like—were going electric, too.

— Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2026
But even with 22 tracks to work with, the sound too often defaults to a similar muted backdrop, which blurs some of the less distinct songs together.

— Molly Mary O’Brien, Pitchfork, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of too

Adverb

This is a brand new hotel, built to code, so hallways and elevators are not a problem.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
His ego is in exact inverse proportion to Ilya’s, which is part of what makes Garfield and Borisov play so beautifully off each other.

— David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of so

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 8 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of desperately

adverb

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