Definition

The condition of feeling hopeless or in a very difficult situation where one feels they must take extreme actions.

Example

In her state of desperateness, she made choices she would normally never consider.

Conversation

Have you ever felt that sense of desperateness when things just aren't going your way?

Absolutely, it can be really overwhelming sometimes.

Yeah, I try to remind myself that it’s just a phase.

That's a good approach; we all go through tough times.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Desperateness is formed from "desperate" (from Latin "desperatus", meaning hopeless) and the suffix "-ness" (meaning the state or quality of). The word describes the state of being in a hopeless situation.

Memory Tip

Think of being in a 'hopeless' situation ('desperate') and the '-ness' indicating a state. This helps you remember that 'desperateness' refers to the quality of being hopeless.

Visually Confused Words