desperate

[des-per-it, -prit]

See more synonyms for desperate on Thesaurus.com

adjective

reckless or dangerous because of despair, hopelessness, or urgency: a desperate killer.
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.

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.

noun

Obsolete. a desperado.

Origin of desperate

1350–1400; Middle English < Latin dēspērātus, past participle of dēspērāre to despair; see -ate¹

Related formsdes·per·ate·ly, adverbdes·per·ate·ness, nounqua·si-des·per·ate, adjectivequa·si-des·per·ate·ly, adverb

Can be confuseddesperate disparate

Synonyms for desperate

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1. rash, frantic. 3. grave. 8. forlorn, desolate.

Synonym study

3. See hopeless.

Antonyms for desperate

1. careful. 3, 8. hopeful.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for desperateness

desperation, despond, despondence, despondency, discouragement, gloom, hopelessness

Examples from the Web for desperateness

Historical Examples of desperateness

The desperateness of the situation was, however, manifest to all.
Admiral Farragut
A. T. Mahan
Judge of the efforts you have to make and of the desperateness of the struggle.
Balzac
Frederick Lawton
It is a sign of desperateness indeed; yea, of desperate madness.
The Life and Death of Mr Badman
John Bunyan
In the moment of that thought the desperateness of his situation dawned upon him.
Martin Eden
Jack London
That "must" spells out the desperateness of the need and the strength of His love.
Quiet Talks about Jesus
S. D. Gordon

British Dictionary definitions for desperateness

desperate

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 Formsdesperately, 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

Word Origin and History for desperateness

desperate

adj.

early 15c., "despairing, hopeless," from Latin desperatus "given up, despaired of," past participle of desperare (see despair (v.)). Sense of "driven to recklessness" is from late 15c.; weakened sense of "having a great desire for" is from 1950s. Related: Desperately.