desperately /ˈdɛs.p(ə.)ɹət.li/ adverb2 •without caring about danger, because there seems to be no other wayShe desperately grabbed at the nearby branches as she heard the branch she was standing on start to snap.I could desperately do with some coffee right now. •extremelyThe race for silver medal was desperately close, they needed a photo finish to separate the runners. formsmore desperately · most desperately