Desperate
/ˈdɛspərət/
adjectiveB2
Definition
Desperate describes a strong feeling of fear or worry when someone thinks they have no good choice left. It often happens when a person really needs help or wants something very much and feels almost hopeless (without hope). It can also describe actions done with great urgency or risk because of this feeling.
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See It in Action
Feeling very worried and needing help or a solution urgently
- •She was desperate to find her lost keys before the meeting.
- •After days without food, the hikers became desperate.
- •He made a desperate call for help when his car broke down.
Done with great risk or without thinking carefully because of strong need or fear
- •They made a desperate attempt to save the building from fire.
- •In a desperate move, he jumped into the river to rescue the child.
- •The team took desperate measures to win the game in the last minute.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "desperate" like "worried" (A1 word), but much stronger and with a feeling of urgency—like when you must do something fast or extreme
- ✓Picture a person searching everywhere for their lost pet, feeling very scared and ready to ask anyone for help
- ✓It’s the feeling you get when you really need something important, like water when you are very thirsty
- ✓Sounds like "DES-per-it" → imagine a person saying "Desperate!" while trying to find a solution quickly and loudly
- ✓Think of stories where characters take big risks because they have no other choice, like trying to escape danger
- ✓NOT like "calm" (peaceful, relaxed); desperate is full of strong, tense emotions
- ✓NOT like "hopeful" (expecting good things); desperate means almost no hope left
- ✓NOT like "careful" (thinking slowly); desperate actions are quick and sometimes risky because of fear
Try Other Words
- •Hopeless: feeling no hope left (Use when the focus is on having no hope, not just strong need)
- •Frantic: very fast and worried action (Use when describing quick, nervous actions caused by desperation)
- •Urgent: needing fast attention (Use when focusing on the need for quick action rather than feelings)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "des-" (a prefix meaning "without" or "lack of") + "sperare" (Latin root meaning "to hope")
- •Etymology: From Latin "desperatus," meaning "without hope"
- •Historical development: Entered English in the late 14th century to describe loss of hope and extreme need
- •Modern usage: Used to describe strong feelings of fear, need, or actions done in urgent or risky situations
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when you felt desperate? What made the situation feel so urgent or difficult?
•How do people’s actions change when they feel desperate compared to when they feel calm or hopeful?
Fill in the blanks
1.She was desperate ___ find a way home after getting lost in the city at night.
2.When people feel desperate, they often take ___ risks to solve their problems.
3.Desperate is different from worried because it shows a stronger ___ and urgency.
4.In a desperate attempt to fix the problem, he ___ all his savings.
5.The patient was desperate ___ help, so they called the ambulance immediately.
6.Unlike calm decisions, desperate actions are usually made very ___ and without much thinking.
7.From the situation, we can infer that the person felt desperate because they had no ___ options left.