adjective
desperate
DES-puh-rut/ˈdespərət/
Driven by overwhelming need or a loss of hope.
The stranded hiker makes a desperate appeal toward the rescue boat.
Etymology
The pieces express being without hope. Applied to people, this developed from hopelessness into being driven by despair to disregard safety or consequences—the urgency felt when no good options seem left.
In context
The original prohibition on usury was not really about interest rates. It was about power, about the recognition that when someone is desperate, they cannot negotiate fairly.
More examples
- They were desperate for fresh water.
- A desperate search continued through the night.
- She took the last chance out of desperate need.
Forms
desperate
desperation noun — An urgent state of need or lost hope.