desperate
adjective
des·per·ate
ˈde-sp(ə-)rət 
-spərt
1
a
: having lost hope
a desperate spirit crying for relief
b
: giving no ground for hope
the outlook was desperate
2
a
: moved by despair or utter loss of hope
victims made desperate by abuse
b
: involving or employing extreme measures in an attempt to escape defeat or frustration
made a desperate leap for the rope
3
: suffering extreme need or anxiety
desperate for money
desperate to escape
celebrities desperate for attention
4
: involving extreme danger or possible disaster
a desperate situation
5
: of extreme intensity
… a desperate languor descended heavily upon her, and she slept …—
Elinor Wylie
Elinor Wylie6
desperateness
noun
Examples of desperate in a Sentence
The collapse of her business had made her desperate.
As the supply of food ran out, people became desperate.
We could hear their desperate cries for help.
a desperate struggle to defeat the enemy
He made a desperate bid to save his job.
They made one last desperate attempt to fight their way out.
Recent Examples on the Web
Shand repeatedly insisted there was no one else outside, even as five more desperate Indians wandered to the vehicle from the fields, including one going in and out of consciousness.
—Ryan J. Foley, Twin Cities, 16 Nov. 2024
The first-seven-minutes clip though shows some entirely different characters and a man’s desperate attempt to try to pass off the demons pursuing him.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2024
Hurricane Helene generated 36 hours of desperate rescue attempts in Western North Carolina.
—John Riley, USA TODAY, 2 Nov. 2024
That future is now starting earlier than the coach planned at USC, with the Trojans desperate for any spark that might stop their disappointing season from snowballing any further.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for desperate 
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Ryan J. Foley, Twin Cities, 16 Nov. 2024
The first-seven-minutes clip though shows some entirely different characters and a man’s desperate attempt to try to pass off the demons pursuing him.
—Brian Welk, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2024
Hurricane Helene generated 36 hours of desperate rescue attempts in Western North Carolina.
—John Riley, USA TODAY, 2 Nov. 2024
That future is now starting earlier than the coach planned at USC, with the Trojans desperate for any spark that might stop their disappointing season from snowballing any further.
—Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for desperate
Articles Related to desperate
Dictionary Entries Near desperate
Cite this Entry
“Desperate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desperate. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
desperate
adjective
des·per·ate
ˈdes-p(ə-)rət
1
: being beyond or almost beyond hope
a desperate illness
2
: reckless because of despair : rash
a desperate attempt
desperately
adverb
desperateness
noun
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