General Desperation:
* Scouring: Implies a thorough and exhaustive search.
* Hunting: Suggests a more active and aggressive search.
* Seeking: A more formal word for searching.
* Craving: Used when the desire for something is intense and overwhelming.
* Yearning: Implies a deep and longing desire.
More Specific Desperation:
* Frantic: Suggests a state of extreme panic and anxiety.
* Desperately seeking: A direct and emphatic way of expressing the desperate search.
* Grasping at straws: Describes someone trying anything in a desperate attempt to find a solution.
* Panicked: Indicates a feeling of overwhelming fear and confusion.
* Desperate: A straightforward word for someone who is in a dire situation and will do anything to find what they need.
The best word to use will depend on the context and the specific emotion you want to convey.