desperation
noun
des·per·a·tion
ˌde-spə-ˈrā-shən 
1
: loss of hope and surrender to despair
2
: a state of hopelessness leading to rashness
Synonyms
Examples of desperation in a Sentence
She felt overcome by desperation.
the desperation of severe poverty
They hired me out of desperation, because they couldn't get anyone else.
Finally, in desperation, he tried to flee the country.
Recent Examples on the Web
Miami’s frustration and desperation for a home win Wednesday showed in four yellow cards and a red shown David Ruiz -- which preceded the tying goal with Miami a man down.
—
Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
The spring air smelled of opportunity and desperation.
—Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
For lower-income households, the mass disappearance of affordable housing has produced a wave of evictions, a surge of homelessness and desperation.
—Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 29 Mar. 2024
Dog Day Afternoon has unique sympathy for its central characters, emphasizing their desperation and seemingly endless complexity without condescension or over-simplification.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2024
Unlike with Fisker, this is a move born out of aggression rather than desperation.
—David Meyer, Fortune, 27 Mar. 2024
The same desperation was felt by Aaron Bushnell, a young active-duty U.S. airman.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024
As desperation grows, and Israel’s severe restrictions on aid entering Gaza continue to diminish supplies, humanitarian groups are sounding the alarm over the worsening conditions as the United Nations says hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are on the brink of famine.
—Monica Haider, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024
Carmichael eventually admits that he’s turned to the camera in desperation for something like leverage.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
Greg Cote, Miami Herald, 4 Apr. 2024
The spring air smelled of opportunity and desperation.
—Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 31 Mar. 2024
For lower-income households, the mass disappearance of affordable housing has produced a wave of evictions, a surge of homelessness and desperation.
—Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 29 Mar. 2024
Dog Day Afternoon has unique sympathy for its central characters, emphasizing their desperation and seemingly endless complexity without condescension or over-simplification.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2024
Unlike with Fisker, this is a move born out of aggression rather than desperation.
—David Meyer, Fortune, 27 Mar. 2024
The same desperation was felt by Aaron Bushnell, a young active-duty U.S. airman.
—Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2024
As desperation grows, and Israel’s severe restrictions on aid entering Gaza continue to diminish supplies, humanitarian groups are sounding the alarm over the worsening conditions as the United Nations says hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are on the brink of famine.
—Monica Haider, CNN, 11 Mar. 2024
Carmichael eventually admits that he’s turned to the camera in desperation for something like leverage.
—Lili Loofbourow, Washington Post, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'desperation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near desperation
Cite this Entry
“Desperation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desperation. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
desperation
noun
des·per·a·tion
ˌdes-pə-ˈrā-shən
1
: a loss of hope and surrender to misery or dread
2
: a state of hopelessness leading to extreme recklessness
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share