DESPERATE: Synonyms and Related Words. What is Another Word for DESPERATE?

Need another word that means the same as “desperate”? Find 36 synonyms and 30 related words for “desperate” in this overview.

The synonyms of “Desperate” are: dire, despairing, heroic, hopeless, last-ditch, last-minute, all-out, final, grave, serious, dangerous, risky, perilous, hazardous, precarious, critical, acute, urgent, pressing, compelling, crying, violent, lawless, awful, terrible, appalling, abysmal, very bad, atrocious, unspeakable, frightful, miserable, in great need of, in want of, lacking, wanting

Desperate as an Adjective

Definitions of "Desperate" as an adjective

According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “desperate” as an adjective can have the following definitions:

• Arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope.
• (of a person) violent or dangerous.
• (of a person) having a great need or desire for something.
• Feeling or showing a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with.
• Fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless- G.C.Marshall.
• (of persons) dangerously reckless or violent as from urgency or despair.
• Showing extreme courage; especially of actions courageously undertaken in desperation as a last resort.
• Fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless.
• Desperately determined.
• (of an act) tried in despair or when everything else has failed.
• (of a situation) extremely serious or dangerous.
• Very bad.
• Dangerously reckless or violent as from urgency or despair.
• Showing extreme urgency or intensity especially because of great need or desire.

Synonyms of "Desperate" as an adjective (36 Words)

abysmal	Very great; limitless. The quality of her work is abysmal.
acute	Denoting or designed for patients with an acute form of a disease. An acute or critical lack of research funds.
all-out	Using all available resources.
appalling	Causing consternation. The cat suffered appalling injuries during the attack.
atrocious	Of a very poor quality; extremely bad or unpleasant. He attempted an atrocious imitation of my English accent.
awful	Used to emphasize the extent of something, especially something unpleasant or negative. The place smelled awful.
compelling	Tending to persuade by forcefulness of argument. His eyes were strangely compelling.
critical	Having a decisive or crucial importance in the success, failure, or existence of something. A critical temperature of water is 100 degrees C its boiling point at standard atmospheric pressure.
crying	Demanding attention. It would be a crying shame to let it all go to waste.
dangerous	Able or likely to cause harm or injury. A dangerous criminal.
despairing	Arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope. A despairing view of the world situation.
dire	Fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless. A dire emergency.
final	Allowing no further doubt or dispute. The judge s decision is final.
frightful	Very unpleasant, serious, or shocking. A frightful mistake.
grave	Causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm. A grave illness.
hazardous	Risky; dangerous. It is hazardous to personal safety.
heroic	Relating to or characteristic of heroes of antiquity. One passes under pyramids and obelisks all on a heroic scale.
hopeless	Without hope because there seems to be no possibility of comfort or success. He is a hopeless romantic.
in great need of	Directed or bound inward.
in want of	Currently fashionable.
lacking	Inadequate in amount or degree. The students are not lacking in intellectual ability.
last-ditch	Of something done as a final recourse (especially to prevent a crisis or disaster.
last-minute	Just before a deadline at the last minute.
lawless	Lax in enforcing laws. Lawless bands roaming the plains.
miserable	Contemptible (used as a term of abuse or for emphasis. Horribly wet and miserable conditions.
perilous	Fraught with danger. The economy is in a perilous state.
precarious	Fraught with danger. The precarious life of an undersea diver.
pressing	Expressing something strongly or persistently. Too pressing to permit of longer delay.
risky	Not financially safe or secure. Their risky patter made the guests laugh.
serious	Solemn or thoughtful in character or manner. He suddenly had serious money to spend.
terrible	Exceptionally bad or displeasing. I was sick all night and felt terrible for two days.
unspeakable	Defying expression or description. I felt an unspeakable tenderness towards her.
urgent	Of an action or event done or arranged in response to an urgent situation. Bridges in urgent need of repair.
very bad	Being the exact same one; not any other.
violent	Marked by extreme intensity of emotions or convictions inclined to react violently fervid. A violent death.
wanting	Deficient in intelligence. Tested and found wanting.

Usage Examples of "Desperate" as an adjective

• Her desperate screams.
• A desperate illness.
• I am desperate for a cigarette.
• A desperate criminal.
• A desperate cry for help.
• Felt a desperate urge to confess.
• On all fronts the Allies were in a desperate situation due to lack of materiel.
• Other women are desperate to get back to work.
• Drugs used in a desperate attempt to save his life.
• A desperate need for recognition.
• The desperate gallantry of our naval task forces marked the turning point in the Pacific war.
• Taken hostage of desperate men.
• A desperate sadness enveloped Ruth.
• Made a last desperate attempt to reach the climber.
• That beer's desperate—it's a wonder you've the nerve to offer it for sale.
• There is a desperate shortage of teachers.
• Helpless and desperate–as if at the end of his tether.

Associations of "Desperate" (30 Words)

bleak	(of the weather) cold and miserable. A bleak midwinter s day.
depressed	Flattened downward as if pressed from above or flattened along the dorsal and ventral surfaces. Depressed inner city areas.
despair	The complete loss or absence of hope. In despair I hit the bottle.
despairing	Arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope. A despairing view of the world situation.
despondent	Without or almost without hope. Despondent about his failure.
discouraged	Having lost confidence or enthusiasm; disheartened. He must be feeling pretty discouraged.
drastic	Likely to have a strong or far-reaching effect; radical and extreme. A drastic reduction of staffing levels.
empty	A bottle or glass left empty of its contents. Empty bellied children.
extreme	The highest or most extreme degree of something. Extreme cold.
famished	Extremely hungry. I m famished is there anything to eat.
gloomy	Filled with melancholy and despondency. The gloomy forest.
heartsick	Without or almost without hope. Too heartsick to fight back.
helpless	Uncontrollable. Lying ill and helpless.
hopeless	Beyond hope of management or reform. I m hopeless at names.
hungry	(usually followed by `for’) extremely desirous. A world full of hungry people.
impecunious	Having little or no money. A titled but impecunious family.
insoluble	Impossible to solve. Once dry the paints become insoluble in water.
malnourished	Suffering from malnutrition.
mutineer	Someone who is openly rebellious and refuses to obey authorities (especially seamen or soldiers. Those who resisted were denounced as mutineers and treated accordingly.
penniless	(of a person) having no money; very poor. A penniless young student.
ravenous	Extremely hungry. Ravenous as wolves.
skinny	A skinny person. He wanted the inside skinny on the new partner.
starving	The act of depriving of food or subjecting to famine. The world s starving children.
thirst	Feel the need to drink. An opponent thirsting for revenge.
tired	Bored or impatient with. Too tired to eat.
underweight	Below a weight considered normal or desirable. Underweighted assets.
unhealthy	(of a person’s attitude or behaviour) not sensible or well balanced. His skin looked pale and unhealthy.
voracious	Engaging in an activity with great eagerness or enthusiasm. A voracious appetite.
want	Hunt or look for want for a particular reason. You shall want for nothing while you are with me.
wish	Order politely express a wish for. The union has reiterated its wish for an agreement.