as in hopeless
feeling or showing no hope
desperate cancer patients who are vulnerable to the claims of unscrupulous quacks
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Recent Examples of desperate
Kennedy told the Herald that people are more desperate than ever to fix their immigration paperwork given the mass-deportation agenda at the state and federal level.
—
Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025
Any sense of preparedness for the baby’s arrival is notable by its absence as the characters spin out in spurts of productive energy, desperate to lay out the next track in the road in front of them.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
This month, over 3,000 University of San Diego students will graduate, full of pride and dreams of changing the world — a world full of challenges, in desperate need of innovative solutions from changemakers just like them.
—Thomas Skinner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2025
But this doesn’t mean that the Angelika is desperate, Carter said.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for desperate
Syra Ortiz Blanes, Miami Herald, 23 May 2025
Any sense of preparedness for the baby’s arrival is notable by its absence as the characters spin out in spurts of productive energy, desperate to lay out the next track in the road in front of them.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 23 May 2025
This month, over 3,000 University of San Diego students will graduate, full of pride and dreams of changing the world — a world full of challenges, in desperate need of innovative solutions from changemakers just like them.
—Thomas Skinner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 May 2025
But this doesn’t mean that the Angelika is desperate, Carter said.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for desperate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperate
Adjective
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All seemed hopeless for Moore and Mansell, until, out of the blue, a lawyer with the Office of the White House Counsel contacted Moore’s defense lawyers, Seitles and Litwin-Diego, in April to inquire about the case.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
30 May 2025
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The longtime psych-rock staple co-wrote the album with filmmaker Matt Yoka to be a collection of American stories about hopeless kleptomaniacs, urban explorers, and other people who slip through the cracks.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Reports suggested that Daltrey was unhappy with Starkey’s playing on the night, and a number of songs were cut short.—
Thomas Smith,
Billboard,
29 May 2025
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Netflix In a recent interview with Harper's Bazaar, Ortega revealed that the massive success following 'Wednesday' actually left her unhappy.—
Jeremy Hanna,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 May 2025
Adjective
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Stewart is still thanked by gay fans by creating such a rare, highly visible (albeit sad) representation.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
27 May 2025
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My back hurt from that sad excuse for a chair (seriously, who designs dining chairs to feel like medieval torture devices?).—
Renae Gregoire,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
Adjective
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Tyrese Haliburton led the way for Indiana with 20 points as the home crowd – which included 2025 Indy 500 winner Álex Palou – went home disappointed.—
Ben Morse,
CNN Money,
26 May 2025
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He’s found himself inside a national park without a campsite on too many occasions, some times with small children and a disappointed wife in tow.—
Graham Averill,
Outside Online,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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The film necessarily presents a despairing view of America as its 20th-century glory days recede into the distance, but Schrader isn’t one to shirk away from some form of hope for his isolated priest.—
Vikram Murthi,
Vulture,
21 Jan. 2025
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These lines represent Elisabeth at her most despairing.—
Elizabeth Djinis,
Smithsonian Magazine,
28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The British showrunner of that blisteringly cynical drama spent five years and 39 episodes giving us a portrait of filthy rich people pulling strings and behaving badly.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
31 May 2025
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But the message at the heart of Isle of Dogs, that saving others is the only way to save one’s self, is enough to turn the most cynical viewer into a believer—and maybe even a dog lover.—
Shannon Carlin,
Time,
30 May 2025
Adjective
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Malec does not have to worry about Bauer getting too excited when everything is going right or Bauer becoming despondent in tough times.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
29 May 2025
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Come day’s end, less than 48 hours removed from that Friday 64, following a week of extremes, Homa stood despondent, sounding like a man ready to walk away from it all.—
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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On the internet, though, he is deemed as the heartbroken, brooding type because ...—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
25 May 2025
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Sherine Smith, a former Capistrano teacher and former Laguna Beach Unified School District superintendent, said the meeting’s tone left her heartbroken.—
Hanna Kang,
Oc Register,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Desperate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desperate. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
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