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
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
But such desperation did not always help.
—
Mark Critchley, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025
Despite Intel’s desperation for both the injection of capital and a signal of government support, most striking in the unprecedented events of this summer was the glaring omission of any government ability to exert control or influence.
—Andrew King, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2025
Trump’s midterm maneuvering is out of desperation, Democrats say.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 20 Sep. 2025
The three Aud books are novels of character, crime fiction that uses the classic tropes of noir — first-person narrator, fast-moving prose, corruption in high places and crimes of desperation in the urban underbelly — without being noir.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desperation
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Mark Critchley, New York Times, 21 Sep. 2025
Despite Intel’s desperation for both the injection of capital and a signal of government support, most striking in the unprecedented events of this summer was the glaring omission of any government ability to exert control or influence.
—Andrew King, Fortune, 20 Sep. 2025
Trump’s midterm maneuvering is out of desperation, Democrats say.
—Zac Anderson, USA Today, 20 Sep. 2025
The three Aud books are novels of character, crime fiction that uses the classic tropes of noir — first-person narrator, fast-moving prose, corruption in high places and crimes of desperation in the urban underbelly — without being noir.
—Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desperation
Cite this Entry
“Desperation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/desperation. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
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
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