as in bandit
old-fashioned
a violent criminal who is not afraid of getting hurt or caught
A documentary about some notorious desperados of the Wild West.
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Recent Examples of desperado
The other actors in the terrific eight-member cast — which includes Eddie Cooper, Dashiell Eaves and Ken Marks — play multiple roles as townsfolk, family members, lawmen, desperados, hucksters and suckers.
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Frank Rizzo, Variety, 27 Apr. 2025
Still, the robbery sent an Oklahoma sheriff’s posse and bloodhounds after these bungling desperados.
—Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News, 8 Mar. 2025
Martín Ramírez’s large Caballero features a magnificent desperado pointing his gun as his almost-hieroglyphic horse rears its head — a brilliant universal altarpiece.
—Jerry Saltz, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2024
The true story of the formerly enslaved man who became the first Black deputy U.S. marshal comes to life on Lawmen: Bass Reeves, an eight-episode series starring David Oyelowo as the storied gunslinger who arrested some 3,000 desperados without ever suffering a single wound.
—EW.com, 5 Nov. 2023
See All Example Sentences for desperado
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desperado
Noun
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There can be no doubt that in tax terms, America’s wealthiest families make out like bandits.—
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The robbery lasted less than seven minutes, as the bandits used a truck with an extendable ladder to cut through a window on a second-floor balcony, according to police.—
Noun
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Sorkin finds no heroes but also no villains.—
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But what Ole Miss has had to deal with is beyond the norm, with Kiffin in the villain’s role.—
Noun
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Boardman imposed a sentence of 97 months, citing Roske’s mental health and concerns about incarceration conditions and his status as a first-time criminal offender.—
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Since 2013, the law has allowed juvenile offenders serving life without parole to petition to have their sentence recalled and to be resentenced.—
Noun
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In it, Oldham costumes up as a shaggy woodland monster, which—after a more nimble inhabitant seemingly swaps into the outfit—proceeds to engage a human in an elaborate dance routine.—
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That mentality has fueled a monster debut season for Porter County Conference leader Kouts (12-3, 4-1).—
Noun
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The hardest part of scaling this 5,200 foot beast?—
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Orion was getting the best of the beast.—
Noun
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The Wolfpack hired noted NCAA outlaw Will Wade.—
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There’s a certain unpredictability and fleet-footedness required to play this budding outlaw, and the actor can’t convey any excitement in the part.—
Cite this Entry
“Desperado.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desperado. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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