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 Are there nefarious people who take people’s desperation and turn it into a profitable enterprise? —

Ann Marie Luft, The Orlando Sentinel, 14 May 2026 The Wild arrived draped in desperation. —

Troy Renck, Denver Post, 14 May 2026 The third season of The Comeback has aired over only two months, but the season’s core adversarial relationship, between the grasping desperation of the creative community and the steady encroachment of AI, has only taken on an increasingly dominant role in Hollywood’s ongoing conversations. —

Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 11 May 2026 The filing is a sign of Democratic desperation after the Virginia decision. —

Lindsay Whitehurst, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for desperation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperation

Noun

Condal also saw what was happening and felt despair.

— Kate Aurthur, Variety, 20 May 2026
Farmers in despair Without insurance, Kongphan, an immigrant from Thailand, has been trying to obtain government aid and figure out how to level earth moved by the floodwaters.

— Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, Los Angeles Times, 17 May 2026