as in despair
utter loss of hope
during the famine her desperation drove her to do things she wouldn't have normally considered
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Recent Examples of desperation
One woman told him of the desperation that drove her to leave her homeland and family, the trauma of the crossings, and her gratitude at finding safety and a new life.
—
ABC News, 12 June 2026
And Clark, with his effort to have a private intimacy — and to not have his wife find out about it — that desperation could lead to a really terrible decision, too.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 June 2026
But with most travel curtailed by the lockdown, desperation took me into that region of the Pacific Northwest reachable by car.
—C Pam Zhang, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026
Their desperation was on full display Wednesday when Kwan inexplicably attempted a squeeze bunt with Manzardo, who ranks 401st in the league in sprint speed, chugging down the third-base line.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for desperation
ABC News, 12 June 2026
And Clark, with his effort to have a private intimacy — and to not have his wife find out about it — that desperation could lead to a really terrible decision, too.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 June 2026
But with most travel curtailed by the lockdown, desperation took me into that region of the Pacific Northwest reachable by car.
—C Pam Zhang, Travel + Leisure, 11 June 2026
Their desperation was on full display Wednesday when Kwan inexplicably attempted a squeeze bunt with Manzardo, who ranks 401st in the league in sprint speed, chugging down the third-base line.
—Zack Meisel, New York Times, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for desperation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperation
Noun
-
Paula turns on a dime, expertly masks her horror, stress, and despair, and puts on a smile for her little girl.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
17 June 2026
-
What happened last night was a double dip of despair.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
His profound sadness and rage give the audience permission to feel similarly.—
Ronda Racha Penrice,
HollywoodReporter,
15 June 2026
-
The Spurs accrued a 10-point lead at that point, blitzing the Knicks with the type of pressure expected from a team that was a loss away from an offseason filled with sadness.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
That essay, written in 1940 — the same year Native Son was published — is suffused with profound hopelessness for what was indeed to come.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
-
Like Makki, many grapple with guilt and hopelessness.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Desperation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desperation. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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