desperate
Americanadjective
-
reckless or dangerous because of despair, hopelessness, or urgency.
a desperate killer.
- Antonyms:
- careful
-
having an urgent need, desire, etc..
desperate for attention;
desperate to find a job.
-
leaving little or no hope; very serious or dangerous.
a desperate illness.
- Synonyms:
- grave
- Antonyms:
- hopeful
-
extremely bad; intolerable or shocking.
clothes in desperate taste.
-
extreme or excessive.
-
making a final, ultimate effort; giving all.
a desperate attempt to save a life.
-
actuated by a feeling of hopelessness.
-
having no hope; giving in to despair.
- Antonyms:
- hopeful
noun
adjective
-
careless of danger, as from despair; utterly reckless
-
(of an act) reckless; risky
-
used or undertaken in desperation or as a last resort
desperate measures
-
critical; very grave
in desperate need
-
in distress and having a great need or desire
-
moved by or showing despair or hopelessness; despairing
Synonym Usage
See hopeless.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of desperate
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin dēspērātus, past participle of dēspērāre “to be without hope, despair”; see despair, -ate 1
Explanation
Desperate means "having lost all hope." If you are desperate for food, it means you are starving, possibly about to die. If you are in a desperate situation, it means things are really, really bad. Desperate, desparate, or despirate? The word desperate is misspelled often enough that it's the despair of English teachers. Both desperate and despair come from the same Latin verb as despair. Don't mix it up with disparate, a totally different word that means "distinctive, different, various."
Vocabulary lists containing desperate
List 8
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"Sorry, Wrong Number," Vocabulary from the play
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 4
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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.
Wimbledon is, for many, the highlight of a British sporting summer, with those flocking to SW19 - or following elsewhere - desperate to cheer home players to victory.
From BBC • Jun. 30, 2026
A tourist town just across the border is a safety valve for a population desperate for relief.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 28, 2026
But there are still major problems, including uneven flooring, and they are now desperate to move out of their once-beloved home and into sheltered accommodation.
From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026
Television and social media were filled with scenes of toppled and damaged buildings, including entire apartment blocks that appeared to be tottering as desperate residents camped out on the streets.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 25, 2026
“Yes,” said the girl, her voice hoarse and desperate.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
Definitions 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.
