desperation
gb/dˌɛspɚˈeɪʃən/ us/dˌɛspɚˈeɪʃən/
B2
English
~ 8700
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
state
1
extreme worry and hopelessness
A very strong feeling of worry and having almost no hope, because your situation is very bad.
Usage pattern:
feel [desperation] about [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "desperation" with "desperateness". In modern English, "desperation" is the normal and natural word for this feeling; "desperateness" is rare and sounds odd in everyday speech.
Synonyms
hopelessness (Suggests having no hope, but not always with the same intense fear and urgency as desperation.)
|
despair (Very close in meaning; often slightly more serious and deep, while desperation can sound more active and urgent.)
Antonyms
hope (The presence of positive expectation, which is the opposite of the hopeless feeling in desperation.)
|
confidence (A feeling of trust and belief that things will go well, which contrasts with the fear and worry in desperation.)
Collocations
feel desperation
|in desperation
|a sense of desperation
|sheer desperation
|air of desperation
|signs of desperation
Themes
emotions
|psychology
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- You could hear the desperation in her voice as she begged them to stay.
- The refugees spoke of their desperation after months without enough food or clean water.
- There was a growing sense of desperation in the city as supplies began to run out.
- His diary shows the desperation he felt during those final weeks of the war.
- The movie captures the quiet desperation of people stuck in jobs they hate.
Learner examples
- I heard the desperation in his voice when he called me.
- There was a feeling of desperation in the room after they lost the game.
- She wrote about her desperation when she could not find work.
- In his eyes, I saw fear and desperation.
- The long search for her lost child filled her with desperation.
Noun
C1
state
2
strong need causing extreme actions
A very strong need or wish that makes you ready to do almost anything to change your situation.
Usage pattern:
desperation for [something] leads [someone] to [do something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "desperation" where "desire" or "strong wish" is better. "Desperation" usually suggests that the situation is bad and may lead to risky or unwise actions; it is stronger and more negative than simply wanting something a lot.
Synonyms
urgency (Suggests something is very important and must be done soon, but not always that someone will break rules or act wildly, as in desperation.)
|
neediness (Focuses more on needing support or attention; desperation is stronger and often linked to risky actions.)
Antonyms
security (A safe, stable situation where people do not feel pushed to extreme actions.)
|
contentment (Being satisfied and not driven to extreme behavior to change anything.)
Collocations
desperation for money
|desperation for help
|driven by desperation
|financial desperation
|desperation to succeed
|out of pure desperation
Themes
emotions
|society
|crime
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- His desperation for money led him to borrow from dangerous people.
- In her desperation to save the company, she agreed to a very risky deal.
- The player’s last shot was taken in desperation as the clock ran out.
- Political desperation pushed the leader to promise things he could never deliver.
- Their growing desperation for clean water has already caused several violent clashes.
Learner examples
- In his desperation for a job, he said yes to everything.
- Her desperation to stay in the country made her pay a fake lawyer.
- They stole food out of desperation, not because they wanted to be criminals.
- The team played with desperation in the last five minutes.
- Out of desperation, she sold her phone to buy medicine.
Noun
C1
action
3
risky act done because desperate
A risky or extreme thing that a person does because they feel they have no other choice.
Usage pattern:
an act of [desperation]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "a desperation act" instead of the natural phrase "an act of desperation". In this sense, English almost always uses the pattern "an act of desperation".
Synonyms
last resort (Focuses on the fact that it is the final option; desperation highlights the emotional pressure behind that action.)
|
rash act (Emphasizes that the action is not carefully thought out; desperation explains why someone takes such an action.)
Antonyms
calculated move (A careful, planned action, which contrasts with the hurried, pressured nature of an act of desperation.)
|
measured response (A controlled and thoughtful action, opposite to something done in desperation.)
Collocations
an act of desperation
|a move of desperation
|a gesture of desperation
|born of desperation
|a decision made in desperation
Themes
emotions
|daily_life
|risk
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Jumping into the river to escape was an act of desperation.
- Her sudden marriage to a stranger felt like an act of desperation.
- Selling the family home was a move of desperation, not a real plan.
- The coach’s last-minute change in tactics was clearly an act of desperation.
- Some viewers saw the twist ending as an act of desperation by the writers.
Learner examples
- Running away in the night was an act of desperation.
- Cutting all prices by half was a move of desperation by the store.
- Calling his ex-boss was an act of desperation, not something he really wanted to do.
- The lie was told in desperation, not in cold blood.
- Many people thought his tweet was an act of desperation to get attention.
Grammar
Dictionary form
desperation
IPA
GB/dˌɛspɚˈeɪʃən/
US/dˌɛspɚˈeɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
des - per - a - tion (4 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (per)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: desperation
- Plural: desperation
Word family
Core family
desperate
adjective B1
desperately
adverb B1
Related words
despair
noun B2
Expressions
act of desperation
1/ˈækt əv dˌɛspɚˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
risky action from desperation
A risky or extreme thing that someone does because they feel very desperate and think they have no other choice.
Examples
- Stealing the medicine was an act of desperation, not simple greed.
- Many saw his sudden resignation as an act of desperation.
- Her last email to him was an act of desperation to save the relationship.
in desperation
1/ˈɪn dˌɛspɚˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
because someone feels desperate
Used to say that someone does something because they feel very worried and have almost no hope or options left.
Examples
- She finally called her parents in desperation when she ran out of money.
- In desperation, he agreed to work for almost nothing.
- They knocked on every door in desperation, asking for help.
out of desperation
1/ˈaʊt əv dˌɛspɚˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
motivated by feeling desperate
Used to say that the reason for someone’s action was that they felt very desperate and had almost no choices.
Examples
- They left the country out of desperation, not because they wanted to start a new life.
- He lied out of desperation, hoping to avoid losing his job.
- Many small shops cut their prices out of desperation during the crisis.