adj · adv · noun · 15 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
ConnecticutRecorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
California:/ˈdɛs.p(ə.)ɹɪt/
California:[ˈdɛs.p(ə.)ɹɛt]California Vowel Shift
Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
/ˈdɛs.p(ə.)ɹət/weak vowel merger, UK, US, Canada
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australian:/ˈdes.p(ə.)ɹɪt/
New-Zealand:/ˈdes.p(ə.)ɹət/
CMU ARPABET:D EH1 S P R IH0 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:D EH1 S P ER0 IH0 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
In dire need (of something); having a dire need or desire.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I hadn't eaten in two days and was desperate for food.
desperate to eat; desperate for attention
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Being filled with, or in a state of, despair; hopeless.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I was so desperate at one point, I even went to see a loan shark.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Beyond hope, leaving little reason for hope; causing despair; extremely perilous.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
a desperate disease; desperate fortune
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Involving or employing extreme measures, without regard to danger or safety; reckless due to hopelessness.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He dove into the rushing waters in a desperate effort to save her life.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Extremely bad; outrageous, shocking; intolerable.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adj
Meaning 6
Intense; extremely intense.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
7
adv
Meaning 7
Desperately.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, dialectal
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
8
noun
Meaning 8
A person in desperate circumstances or who is at the point of desperation, such as a down-and-outer, addict, etc.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
9
adjective satellite
Meaning 9
showing extreme courage; especially of actions courageously undertaken in desperation as a last resort- G.C.Marshall
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
made a last desperate attempt to reach the climber
the desperate gallantry of our naval task forces marked the turning point in the Pacific war
they took heroic measures to save his life
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: heroic
Antonyms: none provided
10
adjective satellite
Meaning 10
fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless- G.C.Marshall
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a desperate illness
on all fronts the Allies were in a desperate situation due to lack of materiel
a dire emergency
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: dire
Antonyms: none provided
11
adjective satellite
Meaning 11
showing extreme urgency or intensity especially because of great need or desire
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
felt a desperate urge to confess
a desperate need for recognition
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
12
adjective satellite
Meaning 12
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a despairing view of the world situation
the last despairing plea of the condemned criminal
a desperate cry for help
helpless and desperate--as if at the end of his tether
her desperate screams
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: despairing
Antonyms: none provided
13
adjective satellite
Meaning 13
desperately determined
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
do-or-die revolutionaries
a do-or-die conflict
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: do-or-die(a)
Antonyms: none provided
14
adjective satellite
Meaning 14
(of persons) dangerously reckless or violent as from urgency or despair
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a desperate criminal
taken hostage of desperate men
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
15
noun
Meaning 15
a person who is frightened and in need of help
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
they prey on the hopes of the desperate
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: unfortunate, unfortunate person
Narrower terms: goner, toast
History
Etymology
From Middle English desperat(e) (“desperate”), borrowed from Latin dēspērātus, perfect passive participle of dēspērō (“to be without hope”), see -ate (adjective-forming suffix). The noun is derived from the adjective or from the Latin source through substantivization, see -ate (noun-forming suffix).
Across languages
Translations
70 source translations are retained for this English entry.
German:
verzweifelt bemüht
— in dire need (of something)
German:
sehnsuchtsvoll verlangend
— in dire need (of something)
Indonesian:
kebelet
— in dire need (of something)
Arabic:
يَائِس
(yāʔis)
— filled with despair
Arabic:
قَانِط
(qāniṭ)
— filled with despair
Armenian:
հուսահատ
(husahat)
— filled with despair
Azerbaijani:
çarəsiz
— filled with despair
Belarusian:
ро́спачны
(róspačny)
— filled with despair
Bulgarian:
отча́ян
(otčájan)
— filled with despair
Catalan:
desesperat
— filled with despair
Chinese Mandarin:
絕望 /绝望
(juéwàng)
— filled with despair
Czech:
zoufalý
— filled with despair
Danish:
desperat
— filled with despair
Dutch:
wanhopig
— filled with despair
Dutch:
vertwijfeld
— filled with despair
Dutch:
radeloos
— filled with despair
Dutch:
hopeloos
— filled with despair
Dutch:
desperaat
— filled with despair
Faroese:
vónleysur
— filled with despair
Faroese:
hopleysur
— filled with despair
Finnish:
epätoivoinen
— filled with despair
French:
désespéré
— filled with despair
Galician:
desesperado
— filled with despair
Georgian:
სასოწარკვეთილი
(sasoc̣arḳvetili)
— filled with despair
German:
verzweifelt
— filled with despair
Greek:
απελπισμένος
(apelpisménos)
— filled with despair
Hebrew:
מיואש
(miuash)
— filled with despair
Hungarian:
kétségbeesett
— filled with despair
Italian:
disperato
— filled with despair
Japanese:
絶望的な
(zetsubōteki na)
— filled with despair
Korean:
필사적인
(pilsajeog-in)
— filled with despair
Korean:
절망적인
(jeolmangjeog-in)
— filled with despair
Latin:
dēspērātus
— filled with despair
Macedonian:
очаен
(očaen)
— filled with despair
Norwegian:
fortvillet
— filled with despair
Norwegian Bokmål:
desperat
— filled with despair
Norwegian Nynorsk:
desperat
— filled with despair
Polish:
zdesperowany
— filled with despair
Portuguese:
desesperado
— filled with despair
Russian:
отча́янный
(otčájannyj)
— filled with despair
Serbo-Croatian:
очајан
— filled with despair
Serbo-Croatian:
očajan
— filled with despair
Slovak:
zúfalý
— filled with despair
Slovene:
obupen
— filled with despair
Spanish:
desesperado
— filled with despair
Ukrainian:
розпа́чливий
(rozpáčlyvyj)
— filled with despair
Yiddish:
פֿאַרייִאושט
(faryiesht)
— filled with despair
