Desperate Meaning
Desperate Definition & Usage
Feeling or showing a sense of hopelessness, urgency, or extreme need, often in situations where all options seem exhausted.
Examples
- "After hours of waiting for a response, she became desperate to hear any news about her missing son."
- "The team was desperate for a win after losing several matches in a row."
- "In a desperate attempt to save the business, he invested his last savings into a risky project."
- "The refugees were in a desperate condition, with little food or shelter to survive."
- "He made a desperate plea for help, fearing he might not survive the night in the wilderness."
Having reached a point where drastic, sometimes irrational, measures are taken due to a dire situation.
Examples
- "A desperate criminal may resort to violent measures to escape capture."
- "They took desperate measures to avoid the oncoming storm, barricading the doors and windows."
- "In a desperate act, she sold her car to pay for her medical treatment."
- "His desperate actions led to consequences he hadn’t fully anticipated."
- "After the stock market crash, many investors made desperate decisions to recover their losses."
Extremely eager or strongly desiring something, often in a way that suggests a lack of control or extreme longing.
Examples
- "She was desperate for attention, constantly seeking validation from others."
- "He was desperate to prove himself to his peers, going to great lengths to achieve success."
- "As the deadline approached, the team became desperate for any solution to finish the project."
- "The man was desperate for love, constantly jumping from one relationship to another."
- "The teenager was desperate for a chance to escape her small town life and see the world."
Cultural Context
Desperation is a powerful emotion, often associated with feelings of despair, hopelessness, or an overwhelming desire for change. It is frequently depicted in literature, film, and music as a pivotal emotion that drives characters to extreme actions. Historically, desperation has been a central theme in many social and psychological discussions, especially in contexts of survival or personal crisis.
The Desperate Gamble
Story
The Desperate Gamble
In a small town caught in the grip of economic collapse, Mia stood on the edge of the old bridge, gazing out over the water. Her mind raced with thoughts of her family's failing business, the bills piling up, and the eviction notice that had arrived that morning. Her hands trembled as she clutched the letter, the words 'final notice' glaring back at her. Mia had never been one to give up, but now she felt desperate. The options left to her seemed few, and each one more dangerous than the last. Across town, Sam, her brother, was in a similar state. The bank had refused their loan, and with no other financial lifeline, he had resorted to selling their land to a wealthy investor who planned to turn it into a luxury resort. The deal had seemed like a desperate choice, but now it was his only hope. His father would never forgive him for letting the land go, but Sam felt like he had no other choice. Every day, he watched the signs of desperation in the eyes of the townspeople as they watched their livelihoods slip away. Mia and Sam’s paths crossed when they both showed up at the town hall meeting, their minds filled with different plans to save their home. Mia was ready to fight, while Sam was prepared to sign the papers and move on. As they argued passionately, each sibling tried to convince the other that their desperate solution was the only way forward. In the end, neither of them was entirely right, but their desperate decisions would change the course of their town’s future. The night ended with no resolution, only more questions and more desperation, as the town held its breath, waiting for the next desperate attempt to save it from ruin.
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