desperation
Americannoun
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the state of being desperate or of having the recklessness of despair.
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the act or fact of despairing; despair.
noun
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desperate recklessness
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the act of despairing or the state of being desperate
Synonym Usage
See despair.
Etymology
Origin of desperation
1325–75; Middle English desperacioun < Latin dēspērātiōn- (stem of dēspērātiō ). See desperate, -ion
Explanation
Desperation is a hopeless state. If you learned that your friend had sold her beloved shoe collection, you'd know she did it out of desperation. When you've lost hope or have run out of possible solutions to a problem, you're experiencing desperation. The word implies a reckless kind of frustration. For example, a person who hasn't eaten in three days might steal food out of desperation. The origin of the word traces back to the Latin desperare, "to lose all hope," which is formed from the prefix de-, "without," added to sperare, "hope."
Vocabulary lists containing desperation
Where the Red Fern Grows
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Stargirl
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Baseball in April
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A notable exception was the global financial crisis of 2008-09, when some companies sold stock out of desperation.
From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026
Mr Ratcliffe said when detainees go on hunger strike it can signal desperation and a loss of faith in both governments.
From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026
O’Bryant’s edit is lively and sparkling, bringing a certain element of humor while also demonstrating in montages the desperation that leads Niki down this path.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
J&J has done plenty of multibillion-dollar acquisitions and it can definitely afford a deal well over $10 billion, but it rarely acts out of desperation.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 2026
There was nothing accidental about a wretched road, or an overcrowded tap-tap with bad brakes, or the desperation of peasant women needing to sell something at market in order to feed their families that night.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
