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

Synonyms

• despair
• despond
• despondence
• despondency
• forlornness
• hopelessness

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

In what’s widely seen as a sign of desperation, the junta announces mandatory conscription for all men between 18 and 35 years old and all women between 18 and 27. —Koh Ewe, TIME, 1 Nov. 2024

And it is driven largely out of desperation on both sides of the relationship, analysts told NBC News. —Matthew Bodner, NBC News, 30 Oct. 2024

The show even resorts to running bloopers at the end of each episode — the ultimate sign of desperation. —Dave Nemetz, TVLine, 18 Oct. 2024

The director of Enter Ghost worries that literary portraits of the Palestinian condition, especially when well executed, will do nothing but briefly relieve the viewer of the desperation necessary to fight back against the Israeli occupation. —Andrea Long Chu, Vulture, 11 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English disperacioun, desperacioun, borrowed from Anglo-French desperaciun, borrowed from Latin dēspērātiōn-, dēspērātiō, from dēspērāre "to give up as hopeless, despair of" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at despair entry 2

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids 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