desperate

adjective

ˈde-sp(ə-)rət How to pronounce desperate (audio)
Definition of desperatenext
as in hopeless
feeling or showing no hope desperate cancer patients who are vulnerable to the claims of unscrupulous quacks

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective desperate differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of desperate are despairing, despondent, and hopeless. While all these words mean "having lost all or nearly all hope," desperate implies despair that prompts reckless action or violence in the face of defeat or frustration.

one last desperate attempt to turn the tide of battle

Where would despairing be a reasonable alternative to desperate?

While the synonyms despairing and desperate are close in meaning, despairing suggests the slipping away of all hope and often despondency.

despairing appeals for the return of the kidnapped child

When might despondent be a better fit than desperate?

The words despondent and desperate can be used in similar contexts, but despondent implies a deep dejection arising from a conviction of the uselessness of further effort.

despondent about yet another rejection

In what contexts can hopeless take the place of desperate?

The meanings of hopeless and desperate largely overlap; however, hopeless suggests despair and the cessation of effort or resistance and often implies acceptance or resignation.

the situation of the trapped miners is hopeless

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 desperate The flashbacks show how desperate his parents become after John Stewart, Sr. — Matt Minton, Variety, 31 Aug. 2026 Families covered hospital walls with posters showing missing relatives, photographs and contact numbers in a desperate appeal for any clue that could bring them home. — Arkansas Online, 30 Aug. 2026 Then began the desperate, confusing search for their colleagues. — Ross Adkin, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 This symbolic gesture is a desperate attempt to spark a turnaround for the slugger, whose power outage follows a recent $500 million extension. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for desperate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperate
  1. hopeless
  2. unhappy
  3. sad
  4. disappointed
  5. despairing
  6. cynical
  7. despondent
  8. heartbroken
Adjective
  • This latest attempt to move, a hopeless punt to have his contract annulled in order to leave on a free sooner, will likely see anger return at Selhurst Park on Friday night against Manchester City.
    — Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Ever the hopeless romantic, Ted searches for the love of his life through a constant series of twists, turns, diversions, blue French horns, slap bets, and yellow umbrellas.
    — Skyler Trepel, Entertainment Weekly, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of hopeless
Adjective
  • Garcia and fellow Democrats are mindful of what’s driving unhappy voters who face a vexing mix of inflation and weak economic growth.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Sometimes kids performing things on TV look unhappy or awkward, but this girl seems to genuinely enjoy singing while her dad plays guitar.
    — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of unhappy
Adjective
  • That might also explain the movie’s attempts to supercharge its few action sequences, as if the filmmakers realized belatedly that a sad book without much incident wasn’t exactly prime summer studio release fodder.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Obviously, a really sad story and hard to listen to at times.
    — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • Nice people may of course become irritated, disappointed, jealous, or defensive, since niceness does not require sainthood.
    — Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026
  • At the end of last season, Madrid fans were left quite disappointed following a rare trophy-less season for the club.
    — Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of disappointed
Adjective
  • Smashed with the instep of Mbappe’s right foot, the ball arced viciously into the top-right corner, beyond Bounou’s despairing dive.
    — Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 9 July 2026
  • After 25 years, you'd be forgiven for thinking — despairing, really — that the formula for a perfect Scary Movie has been forgotten.
    — Entertainment Weekly, Entertainment Weekly, 2 June 2026
Definition of despairing
Adjective
  • And his cynical dealings in Washington foreshadowed a toxification of US politics that now runs rampant.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The cynical explanation is that the Treasury Secretary is playing politics.
    — John Cassidy, New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of cynical
Adjective
  • And what is perhaps most frightening, in those despondent moments that inevitably follow the exhilarating rush, is the realization that this enveloping abyss retains the imprint of our actions.
    — Jan Tumlir, Artforum, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Three years ago, Cat Cohen was lying in a hospital bed feeling despondent.
    — Seija Rankin, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026
Definition of despondent
Adjective
  • Fans across Kansas City posted heartbroken notes of appreciation for the country legend.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Speaking during a recent career retrospective hosted by the SAG-AFTRA Foundation, the 71-year-old actor revealed that his Thelma & Louise co-star left him heartbroken.
    — Hannah Malach, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of heartbroken

Browse Nearby Words

desperadoes
desperate
desperately
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Cite this Entry

“Desperate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desperate. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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