desperate necessity

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "desperate necessity" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where something is urgently needed or required. Example: "In times of crisis, we often find ourselves in a state of desperate necessity, seeking solutions to immediate problems."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Thatcher during the Falklands, Blair during Iraq – both spread-eagled, supine – and it all harked back to Churchill's desperate necessity for lend-lease.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

A good boxed set, featuring such films as "The Human Pyramid," "Moi un Noir," ("Me, a Black") and "Chronicle of a Summer," is a desperate necessity.

The New Yorker

"The amount of necessity, almost desperate necessity, that went into it — I didn't know why I was doing it," he says.

The New York Times

Ginny (Kate Winslet), a waitress in a clam house, is a former actress nearing forty whose ambitions were smothered by desperate necessity.

The New Yorker

"But it is also, more deeply, a movie about its own nonexistence — a narrative that confronts both the impossibility and the desperate necessity of storytelling, and that short-circuits our expectations of coherence, plausibility and fidelity to lived reality even as it satisfies them.

The New York Times - Arts

But as the stories in "The Night Watcher" illustrate, Ms. Woodard learns through fruitful and sometimes traumatic experience that part-time mothering, which is to say playing the doting, helpful and occasionally demanding aunt or godmother, is both a consuming interest and sometimes a desperate necessity.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

After the horror of 9/11, it was clear that governments faced their own desperate requirement: to reassert their own usefulness and necessity, having so abjectly failed in their primary duty of protection.

The Guardian - Opinion

It's also undertaken for various reasons, perhaps a mini act of rebellion against consumerism; or a product of self-assessed entitlement; sometimes it's just for thrill-seeking; and for some it's thought of as a desperate act of necessity.

Vice

Furthermore, the desperate scramble for necessities has increasingly provoked violence.

Independent

Venezuelans are suffering runaway inflation their money is now so worthless some shopkeepers have taken to weighing instead of counting it and desperate shortages of food and other necessities.

Huffington Post

When does Mr. Curran know of the inward necessity of a tugboat captain's desperate urge to reach out through the gloom for others of his kind?

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "desperate necessity", ensure that the context clearly reflects a situation of extreme urgency and importance. Overusing it can diminish its impact, so reserve it for situations that genuinely warrant such emphasis.

Common error

Avoid using "desperate necessity" in situations where a simpler term like "need" or "requirement" would suffice. Overusing it weakens the impact and can make your writing sound melodramatic or insincere.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "desperate necessity" functions as a noun phrase, where 'desperate' modifies 'necessity'. It describes a state where something is not just needed, but is required with an extreme sense of urgency and lacking alternatives. As Ludwig AI shows, this phrase frequently occurs in contexts where critical situations are being discussed.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Science

14%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "desperate necessity" is a noun phrase used to underscore the extreme urgency and criticality of a need. It is grammatically correct and primarily found in news and media contexts. While effective in conveying high-stakes situations, it should be used judiciously to avoid sounding melodramatic. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its proper usage across various reputable sources, noting a neutral to formal register. Alternatives like "urgent requirement" or "critical need" can be used depending on the specific context. Remember to reserve "desperate necessity" for situations that genuinely warrant such emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

urgent requirement

Focuses on the pressing nature of the requirement, omitting the emotional intensity of desperation.

critical need

Emphasizes the importance and essential nature of the need, downplaying the feeling of desperation.

dire need

Highlights the severity and urgency of the need, minimizing the aspect of desperation.

pressing requirement

Stresses the immediacy and importance of the requirement, omitting the sense of desperation.

imperative

Emphasizes the unavoidable and crucial nature of something, lacking the emotional urgency of desperation.

compelling obligation

Highlights the force and necessity behind a duty, shifting the focus from need to duty.

exigent demand

Focuses on the pressing and exacting nature of the demand, omitting the emotional element of desperation.

burning issue

Highlights the urgency and importance of the problem, but it's less formal than "desperate necessity".

last resort

Indicates that something is the final option when all others have failed, emphasizing the extremity of the situation.

inescapable obligation

Highlights the unavoidable nature of duty, altering the focus from necessity to obligation.

FAQs

How can I use "desperate necessity" in a sentence?

Use "desperate necessity" to describe situations where something is urgently and critically needed. For example: "The refugees' "urgent need" for food and shelter was a "desperate necessity"".

What are some alternatives to "desperate necessity"?

You can use alternatives like "urgent requirement", "critical need", or "dire need" depending on the specific context and the nuance you wish to convey.

Is "desperate necessity" formal or informal?

"Desperate necessity" is generally considered a more formal phrase. In less formal contexts, you might opt for simpler terms like ""urgent need"" or "critical requirement".

What is the difference between "desperate necessity" and "urgent necessity"?

While both phrases convey a sense of urgency, "desperate necessity" emphasizes the extreme emotional state associated with the need, whereas "urgent necessity" focuses more on the time-sensitive nature of the requirement.