as in barren
land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops
we were lost in the desert for days without food
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in discipline
usually deserts plural
suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense
the robbers got their just deserts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to abandon
to leave (a cause or party) often in order to take up another
the volunteer became disillusioned with his candidate and deserted to a political rival
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to leave
to cause to remain behind
deserted the kids at the food court for some independent shopping
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in arid
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of desert
ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
Aselton wrote the screenplay with Mark Duplass and also stars with Daveed Diggs as Erin and Charlie, a couple who escape to the desert to navigate an unexpected and challenging new phase of their relationship.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Lina Ruiz
april 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2026
But classrooms sat half-empty and the playground was deserted.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2025
The South Coast Air Basin includes Orange County and non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desert
Noun
Some of those aerosols occur naturally, typically from dust kicked up by winds in desert regions.
—ArsTechnica, 15 May 2026
Aselton wrote the screenplay with Mark Duplass and also stars with Daveed Diggs as Erin and Charlie, a couple who escape to the desert to navigate an unexpected and challenging new phase of their relationship.
—Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Verb
There are 15 overall child care deserts out of 74 ZIP codes in Tarrant, and 40% of those deserts are considered to be chronic.
—Lina Ruiz
april 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2026
But classrooms sat half-empty and the playground was deserted.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Cocktail grapefruit grows wherever conventional grapefruit grows, although fruit quality is best, as with grapefruit generally, in desert or semi-desert conditions.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 27 Mar. 2025
The South Coast Air Basin includes Orange County and non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desert
Noun
-
What begins as inspiration could become something tangible when desire and discipline move together.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 May 2026
-
Tang positioned One/Size’s commercial advantage as one of category discipline rather than breadth.—
Ritu Upadhyay,
Footwear News,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
As those commitments are abandoned, there’s a financial price to pay, including more than $9 billion of write-downs for Honda, which made its first operating loss in the company’s history.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
15 May 2026
-
Famously, many migration projects end up in some sort of failure—behind schedule, over budget, incomplete or abandoned.—
Thomas Berndorfer,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Soon after leaving school, the organization Fighting Words changed that for me.—
Via Riverhead,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
-
Rather than leave existing clients in the lurch, Lee allowed IDW to essentially inherit those accounts, allowing the fledgling business to become profitable within its first year of operation.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Morgan Gorris, a scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, published research last fall showing that people living in arid parts of the country — mainly the West — are more likely to be infected.—
Erika Edwards,
NBC news,
17 May 2026
-
In hot, arid regions, try pairing with a striking agave as your thriller and textural sedum as your filler.—
Gemma Johnstone,
The Spruce,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Like Season 1 — which received 16 Emmy nominations, including for drama and Goggins for lead actor — the series is stuffed to the brim with mid-20th-century music and dialogue, which contrast beautifully with the absolute wasteland of 2296.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
11 May 2026
-
That line, uttered by Duncan in the last scene of this week’s episode, is as succinct a thesis statement as The Audacity has offered about the ethical wasteland of Silicon Valley.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
10 May 2026
Noun
-
Massachusetts State Police Trainor grew up in Salem, Massachusetts and joined the State Police in 2023 after serving as a corrections officer in Essex County.—
Matt Schooley,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
-
Ultimately, the goal isn’t to sidestep a correction or perfectly time the market.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
But Breakfield rejected that argument during sentencing.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
-
Lower courts likely won't approve a measure that aims to circumvent a Supreme Court ruling and would probably reject any law that ties the provision of general government services to the behaviors of the recipients, Smith said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
The end product is usually tough, dry, and stringy.—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 May 2026
-
Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the crust is set and dry but not browned, then let cool for 5 minutes.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Desert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desert. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
