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desperate

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

noun

Obsolete. a desperado.

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Origin of desperate

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin dēspērātus, past participle of dēspērāre “to be without hope, despair”; see despair, -ate1

synonym study for desperate

3. See hopeless.

OTHER WORDS FROM desperate

des·per·ate·ly, adverbdes·per·ate·ness, nounqua·si-des·per·ate, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH desperate

desperate , disparate
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to desperate

daring, dangerous, bold, violent, determined, frantic, furious, frenzied, great, urgent, terrible, fierce, critical, dire, forlorn, vain, futile, despondent, sad, madcap

Example sentences from the Web for desperate

British Dictionary definitions for desperate

desperate
/ (ˈdɛspərɪt, -prɪt) /

adjective

careless of danger, as from despair; utterly reckless
(of an act) reckless; risky
used or undertaken in desperation or as a last resortdesperate measures
critical; very gravein desperate need
(often postpositive and foll by for) in distress and having a great need or desire
moved by or showing despair or hopelessness; despairing

Derived forms of desperate

desperately, adverbdesperateness, noun

Word Origin for desperate

C15: from Latin dēspērāre to have no hope; see despair
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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