desperately
/ˈdɛsp(ə)rətli
/adverb
1In a way that shows despair: he looked around desperately...
- Josh's fists were a blur as he tried desperately to defeat Kevin's iron defense.
- She stared so boldly and so forlornly and so desperately that her heart could have done her talking for her.
- Rescue workers battled desperately to save a cow which had fallen into a stretch of the River.
Synonyms
in desperation, in despair, despairingly, in anguish, in distress;
miserably, wretchedly, hopelessly, desolately;
forlornly, resignedly, defeatedly, pessimistically
1.1Used to emphasize the extreme degree of something: he desperately needed a drink [as submodifier]: I am desperately disappointed...
- The incident has left her extremely shaken and we desperately would like to catch this man.
- It was a desperately disappointing championship for the conglomerate of Scots.
- It is desperately disappointing to win so much primary possession and then not to be able to hold on to it.
Synonyms
seriously, gravely, severely, critically, acutely, dangerously, perilously, hazardously, precariously;
very, extremely, awfully, terribly, tremendously, frightfully, dreadfully;
hopelessly, irretrievably
informal chronically
archaic or humorous parlously
urgently, pressingly, intensely, with urgency, eagerly