desolate

verb

des·​o·​late ˈde-sə-ˌlāt 

ˈde-zə-

desolated; desolating

transitive verb

: to make desolate:

a

: to deprive of inhabitants

The neighboring towns were desolated.

b

: to lay waste

desolating the city with bombs

c

: forsake

their desolated families back home

d

: to make wretched

desolater noun

or desolator

ˈde-sə-ˌlā-tər 

ˈde-zə-

desolatingly

ˈde-sə-ˌlā-tiŋ-lē 

ˈde-zə-

adverb

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What is the word origin of desolate?

The word desolate hasn’t strayed far from its Latin roots: its earliest meaning of “deserted” mirrors that of its Latin source dēsōlātus, which comes from the verb dēsōlāre, meaning “to leave all alone; forsake; empty of inhabitants.” That word’s root is sōlus, meaning “lone; acting without a partner; lonely; deserted,” source too of the “lonely” words sole, soliloquy, solitary, solitude, and solo. Desolate also functions as a verb (its last syllable rhymes with wait rather than what) with its most common meanings being “to lay waste” and “to make wretched; to make someone deeply dejected or distressed.”

Synonyms of desolate

• ruin
• destroy
• devastate
• demolish
• wreck
• shatter

Examples of desolate in a Sentence

totally desolated the city with aerial bombs

Word History

Etymology

Middle English desolaten (in past participle desolatid "deserted, ruined"), borrowed from Latin dēsōlātus, past participle of dēsōlāre "to leave all alone, forsake, empty of inhabitants" — more at desolate entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for desolate

• mesylate

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Kids Definition

desolate

1 of 2 adjective

des·​o·​late ˈdes-ə-lət 

ˈdez-

1

: abandoned sense 1

2

: having no companionship : lonely

3

a

: showing the results of abandonment and neglect : dilapidated

b

: lacking signs of life : barren

a desolate landscape

c

: cheerless

desolate thoughts

desolately adverb

desolateness noun

desolate

2 of 2 verb

des·​o·​late ˈdes-ə-ˌlāt 

ˈdez-

desolated; desolating

: to make or leave desolate

Etymology

Middle English desolat "having no inhabitants or visitors, deserted," from Latin desolatus, past participle of desolare "to abandon," from de- "from, away" and solus "alone" — related to sole entry 4, solitude, solo