Desparate vs. Desperate: Mastering the Correct Spelling
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on March 10, 2024
"Desparate" is a common misspelling. The correct spelling is "Desperate," which denotes a feeling of hopelessness or urgency.
Which is correct: Desparate or Desperate
How to spell Desperate?
Desparate is Incorrect
Desperate is Correct
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Key Differences
Use mnemonic: "Desperate people don't have an extra 'a'."
Visualize the word written correctly in your favorite book.
Associate "desperate" with a "desperate plea," keeping the "e" in mind.
Remember "e" is the repeated vowel, not "a."
Recall words with similar endings, like "separate."
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Correct usage of Desperate
The team was desparate for a win after several losses.
The team was desperate for a win after several losses.
She made a desparate attempt to save the relationship.
She made a desperate attempt to save the relationship.
He felt desparate when he lost his job.
He felt desperate when he lost his job.
In a desparate move, he sold his car to pay the bills.
In a desperate move, he sold his car to pay the bills.
The drought left farmers in a desparate situation.
The drought left farmers in a desperate situation.
Desperate Definitions
Desperate indicates a feeling of despair or hopelessness.
He made a desperate attempt to save his grades.
Desperate suggests a great intensity or extremeness.
They were desperate for success.
Desperate can denote reckless or dangerous due to despair.
She became desperate and took risky actions.
Desperate conveys a situation with little chance of improvement.
It's a desperate situation with few solutions.
Having lost all hope; despairing.
Marked by, arising from, or showing despair
The desperate look of hunger.
A desperate cry for help.
Reckless or violent because of despair
A desperate criminal.
Undertaken out of extreme urgency or as a last resort
A desperate attempt to save the family business.
Nearly hopeless; critical
A desperate illness.
A desperate situation.
Suffering or driven by great need or distress
Desperate for recognition.
Extremely intense
Felt a desperate urge to tell the truth.
In dire need (of something); having a dire need or desire.
I hadn't eaten in two days and was desperate for food.
Desperate to eat; desperate for attention
Being filled with, or in a state of, despair; hopeless.
I was so desperate at one point, I even went to see a loan shark.
Beyond hope, leaving little reason for hope; causing despair; extremely perilous.
A desperate disease;
Desperate fortune
Involving or employing extreme measures, without regard to danger or safety; reckless due to hopelessness.
He dove into the rushing waters in a desperate effort to save her life.
Extremely bad; outrageous, shocking; intolerable.
Intense; extremely intense.
A person in desperate circumstances or who is at the point of desperation, such as a down-and-outer, addict, etc.
Without hope; given to despair; hopeless.
I am desperate of obtaining her.
Beyond hope; causing despair; extremely perilous; irretrievable; past cure, or, at least, extremely dangerous; as, a desperate disease; desperate fortune.
Proceeding from, or suggested by, despair; without regard to danger or safety; reckless; furious; as, a desperate effort.
Extreme, in a bad sense; outrageous; - used to mark the extreme predominance of a bad quality.
A desperate offendress against nature.
The most desperate of reprobates.
One desperate or hopeless.
A person who is frightened and in need of help;
They prey on the hopes of the desperate
Arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope;
A despairing view of the world situation
The last despairing plea of the condemned criminal
A desperate cry for help
Helpless and desperate--as if at the end of his tether
Her desperate screams
Desperately determined;
Do-or-die revolutionaries
A do-or-die conflict
(of persons) dangerously reckless or violent as from urgency or despair;
A desperate criminal
Taken hostage of desperate men
Showing extreme courage; especially of actions courageously undertaken in desperation as a last resort;
Made a last desperate attempt to reach the climber
The desperate gallantry of our naval task forces marked the turning point in the Pacific war
They took heroic measures to save his life
Showing extreme urgency or intensity especially because of great need or desire;
Felt a desperate urge to confess
A desperate need for recognition
Fraught with extreme danger; nearly hopeless;
A desperate illness
On all fronts the Allies were in a desperate situation due to lack of materiel
A dire emergency
Desperate implies a dire need or urgency.
The town is desperate for clean water.
Desperate Sentences
He was so desperate for approval that he agreed to everything they said.
In a desperate bid to lose weight, he tried extreme diets.
The city was desperate for rain after months of drought.
The company was in a desperate financial state and close to bankruptcy.
The search party was desperate to find the missing child before nightfall.
She made a desperate plea for help on social media.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, so they decided to take the risk.
The animal was in a desperate condition when it was found and needed immediate care.
The community was desperate for solutions to the crime wave affecting their neighborhood.
She felt desperate and alone, with nowhere to turn for help.
In a desperate attempt to be noticed, he started doing outrageous stunts.
The team's desperate effort in the final minutes of the game paid off with a win.
Desperate for companionship, the elderly man adopted a dog from the shelter.
The patient was desperate for a cure that could give him more time.
She was desperate to hear news from her family after the disaster.
Facing eviction, she was desperate to find enough money to pay rent.
Desperate for change, the citizens protested against the government.
They were desperate to escape the conflict zone and seek safety.
He was desperate to find work, applying for any job he could find.
The climbers were desperate for rescue as the weather worsened.
They made a desperate dash to the airport, hoping not to miss their flight.
In a final desperate act, she wrote a letter to the president pleading for justice.
Desperate for attention, the child acted out in class.
In his desperation, he turned to methods he had previously condemned.
The drought made farmers desperate for any solution that could save their crops.
Desperate Idioms & Phrases
In a desperate attempt
Trying to do something with little hope of success.
In a desperate attempt to avoid bankruptcy, the company launched a risky new product.
A desperate measure
An extreme action taken due to dire circumstances.
Applying for a loan to pay off another debt was a desperate measure, but he felt he had no other choice.
Desperate for attention
Seeking recognition or notice in extreme or excessive ways.
The youngest child was always desperate for attention, going as far as disrupting family gatherings.
Desperate times call for desperate measures
In difficult situations, actions that might have been rejected under other circumstances may become the best choice.
To save the failing business, they decided to sell off their most valuable assets, because desperate times call for desperate measures.
A desperate plea
An urgent and emotional request for help.
The family made a desperate plea for any information regarding their missing daughter.
Desperate for change
Having a strong desire for a situation or condition to become different.
The populace was desperate for change after years of poor governance.
Desperate situation
A very bad, dangerous, or serious situation in which immediate action is necessary.
The flood left the town in a desperate situation, with many homes underwater.
Desperate to escape
Eager to get away from a difficult or dangerous situation.
After years of conflict, many were desperate to escape the war-torn country.
FAQs
What is the verb form of Desperate?
There isn't a direct verb form; however, "despair" is closely related.
What is the pronunciation of Desperate?
/dɛs.pər.ɪt/
Which vowel is used before Desperate?
Typically, the vowel "a" can precede it, as in "a desperate."
What is the singular form of Desperate?
"Desperate" itself is singular.
Why is it called Desperate?
Derived from Latin "desperatus," meaning without hope.
What is the root word of Desperate?
The root word is Latin "desperatus."
Is Desperate an abstract noun?
No, it's an adjective. But "desperation" is an abstract noun.
Is Desperate a noun or adjective?
"Desperate" is an adjective.
Which article is used with Desperate?
Both "a" and "the" can precede it.
Is Desperate a collective noun?
No, it's not a collective noun.
Which preposition is used with Desperate?
Common prepositions include "for" and "in."
Is Desperate a countable noun?
It's not a noun, so it's not countable.
What is the plural form of Desperate?
Being an adjective, it doesn't have a plural form.
Which conjunction is used with Desperate?
Any conjunction, like "and" or "but," can be used based on the sentence.
What is a stressed syllable in Desperate?
The first syllable, "Des," is stressed.
What is another term for Desperate?
Hopeless.
What is the third form of Desperate?
Adjectives don't typically have a "third form."
What part of speech is Desperate?
Adjective.
Which determiner is used with Desperate?
Determiners like "this," "that," "my," or "our" can be used depending on context.
What is the first form of Desperate?
The term itself, "Desperate," is its primary form.
What is the second form of Desperate?
Adjectives don't typically have a "second form."
Is Desperate an adverb?
No, it's not an adverb.
Is Desperate a negative or positive word?
It generally has a negative connotation.
How do we divide Desperate into syllables?
Des-per-ate.
How is Desperate used in a sentence?
In a desperate effort to survive, he sought shelter from the storm.
Is Desperate a vowel or consonant?
"Desperate" is a word made of both vowels and consonants.
Is the Desperate term a metaphor?
Not inherently, but can be used metaphorically in context.
Is the word Desperate imperative?
No, it's an adjective.
How many syllables are in Desperate?
Three syllables.
What is the opposite of Desperate?
Hopeful or assured.
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
