as in extremely
to a great degree
all of a sudden everything went desperately wrong
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Recent Examples of desperately
This story of two siblings facing horror after horror during the final months of World War II is full of unforgettable and heartbreaking moments, starting with an early scene in which the protagonists, an older brother and his sister, desperately escape the firebombing of Kobe.
—
Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 4 June 2025
Eddy Garcia, the hotel’s security supervisor, testified that Diddy and his team desperately wanted to get the sole copy of the video and prevent it from getting out.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 3 June 2025
Pam feels ambivalent about leaving for college, while Jou desperately wants out, largely due to a troubled relationship with her mother.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 2 June 2025
But after brushing off the injury, Plum returned to the lineup and finished the game, embodying the grit the Sparks desperately needed.
—Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for desperately
Rafael Motamayor, Vulture, 4 June 2025
Eddy Garcia, the hotel’s security supervisor, testified that Diddy and his team desperately wanted to get the sole copy of the video and prevent it from getting out.
—Erik Ortiz, NBC news, 3 June 2025
Pam feels ambivalent about leaving for college, while Jou desperately wants out, largely due to a troubled relationship with her mother.
—Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities, 2 June 2025
But after brushing off the injury, Plum returned to the lineup and finished the game, embodying the grit the Sparks desperately needed.
—Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for desperately
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperately
Adverb
-
City’s academy has been extremely productive in recent years, with Phil Foden the shining light, but Rico Lewis, James McAtee, Oscar Bobb and O’Reilly are all now established squad players.—
Jordan Campbell,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
-
Mills, a longtime associate of Fiona Apple, knows this territory well: the pointed self-analysis of an extremely sensitive person.—
Jenn Pelly,
Time,
7 June 2025
Adverb
-
So, this is a terrible – terribly misguided policy.—
/ CBS News,
CBS News,
1 June 2025
-
To introduce iPhone 26 instead of iPhone 17 seems far-fetched, especially because the iPhone 16, which will certainly remain in the range, would sound suddenly terribly old-fashioned.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
Adverb
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Adding to the shock factor of this particular comeback was how badly Indiana handled the ball in the first half.—
Joe Vardon,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
-
Everlane Khaki Wide-leg Linen Pants These high-rise pants from Everlane are made from a breezy linen-viscose blend that won’t wrinkle as badly as 100 percent linen.—
Alexandra Pereira,
Travel + Leisure,
5 June 2025
Adverb
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Huang held on, and did so through incredibly difficult stretches that included him fighting to keep his job.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
-
Digital search features on platforms like Google aggregate from all posts available, so when Fosgate’s tweets first got popular, the biggest and most available information about her was both transphobic and incredibly cruel.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
31 May 2025
Adverb
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Remember to look high and low, scrutinizing not just eye-level shelves but also the very top ledges and the floor beneath hanging clothes.—
Nicole Letts,
Southern Living,
7 June 2025
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The restaurant itself is long gone and most of the area looks very different, having been rebuilt after the bombing during the Second World War, but there’s an obelisk marking the spot just a few yards from Odeonsplatz square, upon which the club’s founding document is mounted.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
Adverb
-
But there are many times when Ait-Nouri resorts to his tricks too readily, with his over-elaboration putting his team in trouble.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
-
But as Blumhouse has scaled up and the demand for horror has increased, Blumhouse can’t make movies as modestly, and the industry too runs into challenges to continue to make horror movies work financially.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
5 June 2025
Adverb
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This is not okay and watching this video is actually so upsetting..—
Mya Abraham,
VIBE.com,
29 May 2025
-
Republicans only care about pleasing their master, so their Big Beautiful Bill cancels green energy development credits even though green energy projects already have brought jobs to their districts.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 May 2025
Adverb
-
With the doors flung open and sun dappling the eclectic interiors, Ngoc Minh Ngo’s photos really convey the easy-breezy quality of summer life for the lucky family.—
Amy Astley,
Architectural Digest,
28 May 2025
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But the star of the show is really the 3.5-inch touchscreen that guides you through your morning routine, from grinding to brewing.—
Anthony Karcz,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Desperately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desperately. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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