as in hopeless
feeling or showing no hope
desperate cancer patients who are vulnerable to the claims of unscrupulous quacks
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Recent Examples of desperate
At the time, water agencies were desperate for water rights.
—
Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025
The movie hints that Maje was desperate to maintain her freedom and continue her various relationships with other men without being tied down by her husband.
—Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 4 June 2025
In Vietnam, the bile farming boom followed moves by the country in 1986 to open international trade and adopt some free-market policies, spurring financially desperate people to start these makeshift bear farms.
—Ryley Graham, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2025
The show’s focus puller also does the Lord’s work in the last shot of the beat, just after Deborah’s face turns and looks toward the camera, flashing red for one desperate second before going fuzzy and indistinct, like a drunken exhale.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for desperate
Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025
The movie hints that Maje was desperate to maintain her freedom and continue her various relationships with other men without being tied down by her husband.
—Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 4 June 2025
In Vietnam, the bile farming boom followed moves by the country in 1986 to open international trade and adopt some free-market policies, spurring financially desperate people to start these makeshift bear farms.
—Ryley Graham, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2025
The show’s focus puller also does the Lord’s work in the last shot of the beat, just after Deborah’s face turns and looks toward the camera, flashing red for one desperate second before going fuzzy and indistinct, like a drunken exhale.
—Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for desperate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperate
Adjective
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Those who are convinced they’re trapped stay helpless and hopeless.—
Amy Morin,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
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In a world where the powerful increasingly act with impunity, taking fictional villains to task makes sense, a form of Hollywood wish fulfillment for those who feel stuck or hopeless.—
Whitney Friedlander,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2025
Adjective
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Additionally, the more fiscally conservative Senate is increasingly unhappy with the cost of the bill, which is estimated to add $3.1 trillion to the deficit over the next decade.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Trump is unhappy with Musk’s outburst, but Republicans are downplaying the effect on their agenda bill Trump confirmed their relationship has soured, with Musk repeatedly blasting the president’s sweeping domestic agenda bill in recent days and a public fight on social media on Thursday.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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To some, this may sound bizarre, laughable, or even just plain sad.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 June 2025
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Banks: There’s a reason why the theater [symbol] is a happy face/sad face.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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Gilgeous-Alexander seemed disappointed but not worried about the outcome.—
Matt Levine,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
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More: 'Very disappointed': Trump continues to criticize Putin's war tactics during negotiations Ukraine's delegation will also include its deputy foreign minister, as well as several military and intelligence officials, according to an executive order by Zelenskiy on Sunday.—
Vladimir Soldatkin,
USA Today,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Meanwhile, in Germany, Avi tries to fill the hole left by Margarita’s absence with a trip of his own, embarking on a personal journey, both hope-inducing and despairing.—
Troy McMullen,
ABC News,
8 June 2025
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So Far Obscure philosophies The manifesto’s author pulled together various references to obscure philosophies in order to flesh out his ideas, indicating a mindset shaped by a confused amalgamation of toxic and despairing internet subcultures.—
Miles Klee,
Rolling Stone,
20 May 2025
Adjective
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Robbins will play Russell Kind, a rough and grizzled settler with a cynical world view.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
12 June 2025
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Of course, given the ubiquity of such ambitious politicians of all flavors, everywhere, all the time, the charge of cynical opportunism has fairly short legs.—
Dain Fitzgerald,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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Malec does not have to worry about Bauer getting too excited when everything is going right or Bauer becoming despondent in tough times.—
Steve Fryer,
Oc Register,
29 May 2025
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Come day’s end, less than 48 hours removed from that Friday 64, following a week of extremes, Homa stood despondent, sounding like a man ready to walk away from it all.—
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
21 May 2025
Adjective
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Courtesy of Lionsgate The heartbroken little girl with the ballerina music box will grow up to be Ana de Armas’ Eve Macarro, a young woman bent on—what else?—avenging her father’s murder.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
6 June 2025
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The second track on the LP told the story of a heartbroken barmaid pining after a sailor who refused to give up his nomadically maritime lifestyle for her.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Desperate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desperate. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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