desperate
UK: ˈdɛsp(ə)rət | US: ˈdɛspərət
adj. feeling or showing a hopeless sense that a situation is so bad as to be impossible to deal with
adj. (of an act or attempt) tried in despair or when little else is left to lose
adj. (archaic) lacking hope; without expectation of improvement
The word "desperate" originates from the Latin desperatus, the past participle of desperare ("to despair"), which combines de- (completely) + sperare ("to hope"). The root sper- is linked to the Proto-Indo-European spes- ("hope"), also seen in "prosper" and "despair." Over time, "desperate" evolved in English to emphasize extreme hopelessness or reckless urgency, reflecting its Latin roots in negation (de-) of hope (sper-).
The refugees grew desperate as food supplies dwindled.
He made a desperate attempt to save the failing business.
Her desperate cries for help went unanswered.
In desperate times, people often take extreme measures.
The team launched a desperate final attack in the last minutes of the game.