as in extremely
to a great degree
all of a sudden everything went desperately wrong
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of desperately
Thuney played left tackle for the Chiefs late in the season because the team desperately needed him there.
—
Adam Jahns, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
The former Netherlands forward spent six years at Anfield desperately trying to help end the club’s long wait for the top-flight crown.
—James Pearce, The Athletic, 22 Mar. 2025
Presumably, every campaign is desperately trying to figure out how to differentiate itself.
—Bradley Tusk, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2025
There’s gripping entertainment to be found in the sequences where Yeon’s characters desperately try to arrange themselves into a shape that might satisfy their own sick angles, and there’s no denying that Min-chan and Yeon-hui make for compelling adversaries.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desperately
Adam Jahns, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
The former Netherlands forward spent six years at Anfield desperately trying to help end the club’s long wait for the top-flight crown.
—James Pearce, The Athletic, 22 Mar. 2025
Presumably, every campaign is desperately trying to figure out how to differentiate itself.
—Bradley Tusk, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2025
There’s gripping entertainment to be found in the sequences where Yeon’s characters desperately try to arrange themselves into a shape that might satisfy their own sick angles, and there’s no denying that Min-chan and Yeon-hui make for compelling adversaries.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 20 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desperately
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperately
Adverb
-
Their lack of depth was evident against this extremely deep Gators squad.—
Baltimore Sun staff,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Mar. 2025
-
Deion Sanders at one point played for the Dallas Cowboys, which would make an extremely fascinating story, and has even been rumored in the past as a potential NFL head coach.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
Adverb
-
What If…? ended up not being a terribly good series in the end and making Carter the focus attracted a lot of flak since it was supposed to be an anthology.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
-
That could be terribly damaging, especially with the arrival of the low season and everything.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
The Blue Jackets only remained in the playoff race because the other teams around them battling for a playoff spot have been coughing and hacking almost as badly as the Jackets.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
-
The earthquake could provide both, with a ceasefire – no matter how badly observed – providing a cover for allowing for a national vote.—
Tharaphi Than,
The Conversation,
4 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
The glasses themselves are incredibly durable and high quality.—
Kleigh Balugo,
StyleCaster,
2 Apr. 2025
-
Overwatch has an incredibly dedicated competitive fanbase who regularly debate about who the best characters are gameplay or story-wise.—
Ryan Easby,
Rolling Stone,
2 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
Williams seems to have fundamentally misunderstood the novel, or at the very least to have only a diluted grasp of it.—
Christian Lewis,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
-
And the headliner of the group, of course, was quarterback Cam Ward, who very likely could be the No. 1 overall pick when the draft gets underway on April 24 in Green Bay.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2025
Adverb
-
Foreign governments have been upping their travel warnings, too, especially for transgender travelers, to use one example.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Apr. 2025
-
According to tradition, there are no other direct mourners—husband, parents have all passed—but Mila asks the rabbi to cut her blouse, too.—
David Bezmozgis,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2025
Adverb
-
That’s what’s so ironic about the relationship between these two men.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
31 Mar. 2025
-
The tradeoff is a bit childish, sure, but Harry is also so ubiquitous that just about everyone knows one.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Mar. 2025
Adverb
-
Meredith Wells Lepley, a psychologist, USC professor and organizational consultant with Workplace Surveys & Solutions, told Newsweek that women really want to be respected and understood by their employers.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Mar. 2025
-
Underneath the harsh glow of streetlights, the Rev. Jeff Hood inspects a spiderweb woven between the trees hemming in the prison, the only thing that McAlester is really known for.—
Brenna Ehrlich,
Rolling Stone,
29 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Desperately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desperately. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share