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
Related Words
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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Baseball in April
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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.
But the Met’s desperation for conventionality — read accessibility — never quite recedes.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Analysts have varying interpretations of the move, with some seeing it as a sign of desperation, or a lack of volunteers.
From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026
“It’s judging our desperation rate,” said Nicole Moore, president of Rideshare Drivers United.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
Robyn’s voice has always been well-suited to conveying desperation, and she flexes that muscle on “It Don’t Mean a Thing.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 31, 2026
I ate nothing but bread for a week to save part of the money and, in desperation, sold a skirt from Mrs. Diamants box.
From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron
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.
