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desperately

[des-per-it-lee, -prit-] / ˈdɛs pər ɪt li, -prɪt- /


ADVERB
frightfully
Synonyms
Antonyms
WEAK


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.

When Parra was desperately explaining her situation to the agent at Kennedy airport, she realized her paperwork problem.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 23, 2026

When these interventions helped my inflammation but didn’t stimulate much hair growth, I saw three additional dermatologists, desperately seeking a solution for a condition I had poured thousands of dollars into treating.

From Slate • May 23, 2026

Critics on the Croisette are starting to resemble that classic comic-strip panel in which an explorer crawls desperately across the sand toward an oasis that’s only a mirage.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

White told Leeds Crown Court that she had desperately tried to move her daughter's wheelchair out of the way of Mackay's vehicle during the incident.

From BBC • May 18, 2026

But I hung back, gazing desperately at Father, Willem, Peter, all our brave underground workers.

From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom




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