DESPERATION Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

desperation

noun

ˌde-spə-ˈrā-shən

Definition of desperation

as in despair

utter loss of hope during the famine her desperation drove her to do things she wouldn't have normally considered

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 As men, women and children flooded across the border between Morocco and Spain, into the autonomous city of Ceuta at the end of July, European populists and anti-immigrant politicians capitalized on the shocking images of human desperation. — Vasco Cotovio, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026 Dog Day Afternoon has unique sympathy for its central characters, emphasizing their desperation and seemingly endless complexity without condescension or oversimplification. — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026 But in his desperation to find a Russian pressure point that could restart the peace process, Zelensky allowed preparations for the strikes to continue for several months this spring and early summer, both sources said. — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026 Primarily a portrait photographer, Lange began photographing unemployed men wandering the streets of San Francisco during the early years of the Great Depression, starkly capturing their desperation. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for desperation

Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperation

Noun

Along with a brief moment of tenderness Sara experiences with her class’s resident dork, this feminine camaraderie makes for a nugget of niceness in a sea of despair.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026
Yet the film’s firmest punch is packed in the despair and dignity of Sul’s performance, as a man coming to terms with how much he’s lost.

— David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of despair

Noun

For example, expressing appreciation for past help or thanking the doctor for their time was more helpful than emphasizing sadness or frustration.

— Paul Hsieh, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2026
But our frustrations and inconvenience pale in comparison to the sadness of those who knew the deceased or to the trauma the drivers involved experienced.

— Doug Turnbull, AJC.com, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of sadness

Noun

These proposals, many times rooted in sympathy and love, were presented as alternatives to the political structures and market logic that had so often led to war, exploitation, hopelessness, and suffering.

— Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
Their disaffection can create a culture of hopelessness and emotional stasis that lasts well past any economic recovery.

— Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of hopelessness

Browse Nearby Words

desperateness

desperation

despicable

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Desperation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desperation. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of desperation

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes