adverb
desperately
DEHSP-ruht-lee
adverb
1
In a way that shows urgent need or a lack of hope; extremely badly.
"The team desperately needed a win to stay in the tournament."
"She was desperately searching for her lost passport."
2
To an extreme or intense degree.
"He was desperately in love with her."
"The plot is desperately dull."
How to Use Desperately
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe adverb form of "desperate" — used to intensify how badly something is needed or felt.
Common pairings
desperately need
desperately want
desperately trying to
Word Forms
more desperately comparative, most desperately superlative
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “desperately”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The team _____ needed a win to stay in the tournament.