Word
desperate
Phoneticsdes·per·ate, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈdɛspɝɪt/
UK/dˈɛspəɹət/
Definitions
01feeling hopeless
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. feeling that a situation is so bad that you have no hope left.
adj. feeling or showing a state of despair, typically resulting in a willingness to take extreme risks.
“The lost hikers were desperate and cold after two nights in the woods.”
“As the floodwaters rose, the desperate residents climbed onto their roofs, waving brightly coloured clothes to attract the attention of rescue helicopters.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02needing something badly
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. having a very strong need or desire for something.
adj. having an urgent or distressing need for something specific.
日本語:必死※
“After the long desert trek, the travellers were desperate for a cold drink.”
“The charity reported that thousands of families remain desperate for basic medical supplies following the earthquake.”
Pitfall
He was desperate of a glass of water.
He was desperate for a glass of water.
Use the preposition 'for' when you are desperate to have something.
Antonyms
03a dangerous situation
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. describing a situation that is very serious or dangerous.
adj. extremely serious, dangerous, or bad; leaving little room for hope.
“The hospital is in a desperate situation because they have no more beds.”
“The company made a desperate attempt to avoid bankruptcy by selling off its most valuable patents to a competitor.”
04extreme or intense
C1 · Advanced Literary
adj. used to describe something very intense or strong.
adj. used as an intensifier to describe extreme degree or intensity.
Español:desesperado
“The two armies fought a desperate battle for control of the bridge.”
“Despite their desperate efforts to revive the engine, the ship continued to drift toward the jagged rocks of the coastline.”
05very much
C2 · Proficiency Dialect · American English · Informal
adv. used instead of 'desperately' to mean very much or extremely.
adv. functioning as an intensifier equivalent to 'desperately'; common in specific regional speech patterns.
“It is desperate cold outside today, so make sure you wear your heavy coat.”
“The old farmer remarked that it had been a desperate long winter, even by the standards of the high plains.”
Usage
In this dialectal sense, the word functions as an adverb modifying an adjective.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “desperate” in context.
Verb
01. become desperate
“The refugees became desperate when they realized the border was closed.”
verb + adj
02. grow desperate
“As the water supply ran low, the villagers grew desperate for a solution.”
verb + adj
Adjective
03. desperate for help
“The stranded hikers were desperate for help as the sun began to set.”
adj + prep
04. desperate situation
“The charity provides food and shelter to families in a desperate situation.”
adj + noun
05. desperate to escape
“He was desperate to escape the boring meeting and get some fresh air.”
adj + infinitive
06. increasingly desperate
“The search for the missing keys became increasingly desperate as the deadline approached.”
adv + adj
Noun
07. desperate attempt
“In a desperate attempt to win the race, he sprinted as hard as he could at the very end.”
adj + noun
08. desperate measure
“Cutting all staff salaries was a desperate measure to keep the company from going bankrupt.”
adj + noun
09. desperate to see
Real-World Examples
“She said she is desperate for help to clear it: "The government is taking too long.” “People jumped into the freezing river in a desperate attempt to escape.” “But Ruteng's hospital is also desperate for help.” 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).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B2 · Upper IntermediateOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/desperate
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0