# desperate vs desperately

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### desperate
*adjective · IPA /ˈdɛs.p(ə.)ɹɪt/ · frequency rank #4,151*
In dire need (of something); having a dire need or desire.

### desperately
*adverb · IPA /ˈdɛsp(ə)ɹətli/ · frequency rank #7,336*
In a desperate manner; without regard to danger or safety; recklessly.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/desperate-vs-desperately