as in despair
utter loss of hope
during the famine her desperation drove her to do things she wouldn't have normally considered
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Recent Examples of desperation
In times of desperation, local fire departments can reach out to their mutual aid partners for help.
—
Jared Rubado, Twin Cities, 6 July 2025
Much of the premature optimism about a settlement earlier this year sprang from the prevailing belief that Ukraine was losing and would soon be forced to negotiate out of desperation.
—Michael Carpenter, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2025
Remove every trace of desperation from your online presence.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Out of desperation, Red Bull chose to swap Liam Lawson and Tsunoda following two underwhelming races by Lawson.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for desperation
Jared Rubado, Twin Cities, 6 July 2025
Much of the premature optimism about a settlement earlier this year sprang from the prevailing belief that Ukraine was losing and would soon be forced to negotiate out of desperation.
—Michael Carpenter, Foreign Affairs, 1 July 2025
Remove every trace of desperation from your online presence.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 30 June 2025
Out of desperation, Red Bull chose to swap Liam Lawson and Tsunoda following two underwhelming races by Lawson.
—Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for desperation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperation
despair
Noun
-
This is the despair of wrestlers: unredeemed perspiration, useless bruises.—
James Parker,
The Atlantic,
6 July 2025
-
For the most part, professors were, yes, in despair.—
Sean Illing,
Vox,
5 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Desperation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desperation. Accessed 18 Jul. 2025.
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