desperately

American  

[des-per-it-lee, -prit-] / ˈdɛs pər ɪt li, -prɪt- /

adverb

1. in a reckless or dangerous way because of hopelessness or urgency.

   In the movie, he’s the object of an intense police manhunt and scrambles desperately around Belfast trying to escape.

2. in a way that shows urgent need or desire.

   He is highly motivated to put his all into everything he does, trying desperately to prove himself.

3. to a very serious or dangerous degree that leaves little hope.

   People without medical insurance may often suffer without care until they are desperately ill.

4. extremely or excessively.

   My weekend will be desperately dull, as I've been on vacation all week and have to catch up with work.

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Other Word Forms

• quasi-desperately adverb

Etymology

Origin of desperately

desperate ( def. ) + -ly

Explanation

When you do something desperately you do it with extreme urgency. If faced with a life-and-death situation, you might fight desperately, using any means possible to overcome the obstacles and survive. The undercurrent of the adverb desperately is one of despair, which makes sense when you consider that it comes from the Latin desperatus, meaning "given up or despaired of." You can get a good sense of the word from its context in journalist Sheilah Graham’s statement, "You can have anything you want if you want it desperately enough. You must want it with an inner exuberance that erupts through the skin and joins the energy that created the world."

Example Sentences

For a fragile Spurs side seemingly out of ideas, perhaps his choreographed style of play can simplify the decision-making process for players, and help them pick up the points they desperately need to survive.

From BBC • Apr. 9, 2026

I think the reason they brought Jeff Daniels in is to highlight why Jimmy so desperately wants Paul’s affection.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026

The CIA "executed a deception campaign to confuse the Iranians, who were desperately hunting for our airmen," whom Washington located as of Saturday morning, Ratcliffe said, without providing details on the deception efforts.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

“AI companies are desperately in need of training data and what Mercor is doing demonstrates the lengths they will go to pay for it,” he adds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

That if anyone could have survived what happened on the boat it would have been Barry Wyndham: desperately in love, with every reason to make it home.

From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse

Related Words

• badly
• dangerously
• fiercely
• greatly
• perilously
• seriously