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
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Recent Examples of desperation
Tensions flared Saturday as desperation grew in Venezuela’s state of La Guaira as rescuers and civilians searched for earthquake survivors and the death toll rose sharply to 1,430.
—
Regina Cano Garcia,
Chicago Tribune,
27 June 2026
Ada’s overlapping cycles of initiation and desperation are intensely dramatic, but the movie’s hectic pace leaves each of them merely encapsulated in brief onscreen action or a few lines of dialogue, left undeveloped.
—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 June 2026
Ishdeep Narang, a psychiatrist, said the telltale sign is a feeling of desperation rather than joyful anticipation.
—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
26 June 2026
Germany is countering with its own press but without the same desperation as Ecuador.
—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for desperation
Regina Cano Garcia,
Chicago Tribune,
27 June 2026
Ada’s overlapping cycles of initiation and desperation are intensely dramatic, but the movie’s hectic pace leaves each of them merely encapsulated in brief onscreen action or a few lines of dialogue, left undeveloped.
—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 June 2026
Ishdeep Narang, a psychiatrist, said the telltale sign is a feeling of desperation rather than joyful anticipation.
—
Christopher Elliott,
USA Today,
26 June 2026
Germany is countering with its own press but without the same desperation as Ecuador.
—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for desperation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperation
Noun
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Rather than wallow in the despair of his wife's death, Robin decided to start Kay Days, a non-profit that pays for patients' parking on select days and during the week of his beloved wife's birthday.
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That poor driver had to listen to me sniffle in shameful despair all the way back to the city.
Noun
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Each room explores a different human emotion — joy and love, fear and hope, sadness and gratitude, anger and resilience.
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Working again with collaborators Adrian Utley (Portishead) and Shahzad Ismaily (Ceramic Dog) and joined by Nick Hakim and drummer Tom Skinner (the Smile), Orton uses The Ground Above to create weighty songs that deal with both joy and sadness.
Noun
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But where some might see hopelessness, Ortiz sees an opportunity for connection.
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And when young people feel disconnected or believe systems are unresponsive to their daily experiences, that disconnection can deepen isolation and hopelessness.
Cite this Entry
“Desperation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desperation. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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