desperation
Americannoun
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the state of being desperate or of having the recklessness of despair.
-
the act or fact of despairing; despair.
noun
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desperate recklessness
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the act of despairing or the state of being desperate
Synonym Usage
See despair.
Etymology
Origin of desperation
1325–75; Middle English desperacioun < Latin dēspērātiōn- (stem of dēspērātiō ). See desperate, -ion
Explanation
Desperation is a hopeless state. If you learned that your friend had sold her beloved shoe collection, you'd know she did it out of desperation. When you've lost hope or have run out of possible solutions to a problem, you're experiencing desperation. The word implies a reckless kind of frustration. For example, a person who hasn't eaten in three days might steal food out of desperation. The origin of the word traces back to the Latin desperare, "to lose all hope," which is formed from the prefix de-, "without," added to sperare, "hope."
Vocabulary lists containing desperation
Where the Red Fern Grows
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Stargirl
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He wrote that the fundraiser had been created as "a result of our concern and desperation" after trying "multiple avenues" to locate his stepfather.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
A failed fourth-down attempt for USC would all but end it, as Maiava’s desperation pass was swatted away, along with the Trojans’ hopes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026
Salon’s Sophia Tesfaye agrees, calling the self-evident desperation “excruciating”:
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
But there is more desperation than evil in their characters.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
“Maybe you should just tell them the truth,” Chip had suggested, as a last resort, in desperation.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
