DESPERATION Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

desperation

noun

ˌde-spə-ˈrā-shən

Definition of desperation next

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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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 desperation There is an anticipation of a logjam of players in the coming season or two, as the clock starts ticking on the eligibility of 19-year-olds, and their desperation to join a college roster grows. —

Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026 Fung portrays the film’s male protagonist – a creator pushed to the edge by desperation and obsession – while Chau and Wu play his wife and former lover respectively. —

Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 28 May 2026 Kumail Nanjiani weaponizes workplace desperation into vibrant tension as rival Toyota salesman Peyton, while Kate Berlant and Colin Jost elevate the surrounding community of neighborly archetypes through charisma alone. —

Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 27 May 2026 The Golden Knights burned with hunger, fear and desperation, especially at Ball Arena, where the tone for disaster was set. —

Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 27 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for desperation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperation

Noun

For Gordon Sheach, founder of Scotland fans’ website The Tartan Scarf, his first memory of football set the precedent for two decades of despair and disillusionment.

— Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 3 June 2026
The pulse of Royals fans is despair as the season has gone off the rails.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2026