des
pe
ra
tion
1
a state of extreme urgency, hopelessness, or despair
- The refugees crossed the border in a state of desperation, seeking safety from the conflict in their homeland.
- The trapped hiker's sense of desperation grew as night fell in the wilderness without rescue.
- The parents' desperation to find their missing child mobilized the entire community in search efforts.
- The team's string of losses fueled a sense of desperation to turn their season around.
- The threat of eviction left the struggling family in a state of desperation, unsure where to turn for help.
Synonyms:
2
reckless or extreme behavior motivated by urgent need or fear
- Soldiers fought with desperation when their position was overrun.
- The driver's reckless maneuver was a result of sheer desperation.
- The company's decision to cut corners was born of financial desperation.
- His desperation led him to leap across the moving train cars.
- The hiker's desperation forced him to climb the sheer cliff with no safety gear.