sheer desperation

noun phrase

Meaning

An extreme and overwhelming feeling of hopelessness and the urgent need to escape a terrible situation.

Examples

In sheer desperation, he confessed to a crime he didn't commit.
Her eyes, wide with sheer desperation, scanned the crowd for a friendly face.

Synonyms: hopelessness, panic, distress, anguish

Learn English that separates you from the crowd with Anaversity: private classes, Ani practice, Campus tools, and a public English-learning community.

sheer desperation

noun phrase

Pronunciation: ʃɪr ˌdɛs.pəˈreɪ.ʃən

Definition

An extreme and overwhelming feeling of hopelessness and the urgent need to escape a terrible situation.

Examples

In sheer desperation, he confessed to a crime he didn't commit.
Her eyes, wide with sheer desperation, scanned the crowd for a friendly face.
The company's survival depended on sheer desperation to find new investors.

Synonyms of sheer desperation

Words with a similar meaning to sheer desperation:

Antonyms of sheer desperation

Words with the opposite meaning to sheer desperation:

Browse the full Anaversity dictionary