desperate
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.
You make that kind of desperate, deranged threat only if things aren’t going your way.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026
A desperate voice crackled down the phone -- Mariano Nkogo Mba Nchama's 22-year-old son pleaded for help to get home to Equatorial Guinea from Ukraine, where he is fighting for the Russian army.
From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026
I met women across the island who are desperate to find enough food to feed their children.
From Salon • Apr. 11, 2026
I think that we understand suddenly how desperate Jimmy is to have somebody say, “You’re my son and I love you.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
“But they’re naturally desperate, these medical students. It’d be more than your life was worth if you come across them opening a grave.”
From "The Teacher’s Funeral" by Richard Peck
Vocabulary lists containing desperate
List 8
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"Sorry, Wrong Number," Vocabulary from the play
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 4
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