desperately need

USAGE SUMMARY

"desperately need" is correct and usable in written English.
For example: "We desperately need your help to complete the project on time."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We desperately need hope.

The New York Times

Farmers desperately need help.

The Economist

"We desperately need people.

The New Yorker

And we desperately need atropine.

The New York Times

They desperately need hope.

The Guardian

"That is what we so desperately need".

Independent

Sometimes, they desperately need (dread word) feedback.

Independent

They desperately need some skilled architectural assistance.

The New York Times

And we desperately need to act.

The New York Times

"The Chinese desperately need spirituality," he said.

The New York Times

We desperately need international assistance".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "desperately need" to emphasize a critical or urgent requirement. This phrase adds emotional weight and underscores the importance of fulfilling the need.

Common error

Avoid using "desperately need" too frequently in your writing, as it can diminish its impact. Opt for synonyms like "urgently require" or "critically need" to maintain a sense of urgency without sounding repetitive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "desperately need" functions as a verb phrase emphasizing the urgency and intensity of requiring something. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It commonly modifies a verb, highlighting the critical nature of the need.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

21%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "desperately need" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that conveys a strong sense of urgency. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s appropriate for various contexts, particularly in news, business, and general communication. While highly effective, overuse should be avoided to maintain its impact. Alternatives such as "urgently require" or "critically need" can provide variety while retaining the intended emphasis. The phrase functions primarily to highlight the importance of a requirement, urging action or attention to the critical nature of the need.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

urgently require

Replaces "desperately" with "urgently" and "need" with "require", maintaining a formal tone.

sorely require

Replaces "need" with "require" and "desperately" with "sorely", emphasizing the intensity of the need.

acutely need

Replaces "desperately" with "acutely", indicating a sharp and intense need.

critically require

Emphasizes the critical nature of the need, suggesting it is essential for survival or success.

are in dire need of

Uses a more descriptive phrase to convey the severity of the need.

have a critical need for

Focuses on the existence of a critical requirement for something.

are urgently seeking

Shifts the focus to the action of seeking something that is urgently needed.

badly require

Similar to "desperately need" but using "badly" instead of "desperately" and "require" instead of "need".

can't do without

Expresses the idea that something is essential and indispensable.

cannot function without

Emphasizes the inability to operate or continue without something.

FAQs

What does "desperately need" mean?

The phrase "desperately need" means to require something urgently and intensely. It indicates a critical necessity where the lack of something would have serious consequences.

What can I say instead of "desperately need"?

You can use alternatives like "urgently require", "sorely require", or "critically require" to express a similar level of urgency.

How to use "desperately need" in a sentence?

You can use "desperately need" in a sentence to emphasize the urgency of a requirement. For example, "The hospital desperately needs more nurses to handle the increasing number of patients."

What's the difference between "badly need" and "desperately need"?

While both "badly need" and "desperately need" express a strong requirement, "desperately need" typically conveys a higher level of urgency and emotional intensity compared to "badly need".