as in abandoned
left unoccupied or unused
we had the deserted beach all to ourselves
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in rejected
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 left
to cause to remain behind
deserted the kids at the food court for some independent shopping
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deserted
Pete Hammond, Deadline, 17 May 2026
Single’s Inferno in particular showcases a cast of women and men mostly in their early twenties on a deserted island, their poreless skin glowing as a breeze blows through their windswept hair.
—Sarah Wang, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Mangum says a key locale for the land was the deserted structures of Two Guns, Ariz.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
And later, the inquisitive head of a couple of snappers (don’t point too close) draws multiple onlookers on the boardwalk, which is sometimes eerily deserted but sometimes requires single-file trekking.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Videos on social media showed militant convoys in trucks and motorcycles moving through the town's deserted streets, while residents looked on fearfully.
—CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
Unlike the shopping mall other businesses across the city appear deserted, and their corridors are rife with shuttered stores.
—Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Sometimes the most heartwarming stories come from the most unexpected places — like a security camera inside a deserted Russian water park at night.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
The boy runs toward the water as the pair explore and play throughout the deserted park, including splashing in pools and moving through different areas of the facility.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2026
Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
Idle oil wells cleanup Senate Bill 47 raises the cap on how much money from the Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Administrative Fund can be spent to plug and cleanup deserted oil wells, according to the California State Senate website.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
april 22, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
But classrooms sat half-empty and the playground was deserted.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
As befits such an environment, his handling of tactile stuff—not just silk and fur but bread and brickwork, too—never deserted him.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
On Saturday, two of Britain’s great strengths — fast starting and the ability to climb through the fleet after a poor start — both deserted them.
—Andrew Rice, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2026
In Islamabad, the streets of a normally bustling capital were deserted Saturday as security forces sealed roads ahead of the talks.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
Albuquerque’s fleet had been struck by famine, and many of his men had deserted him.
—Sanat Pai Raikarall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Apr. 2026
For 80 years the lighthouse sat deserted.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
In fact the highlight, coming near the conclusion is simply a spectacular car/horse/alien run for the roses down a deserted highway with Sung-Ki riding the horse next to the car, followed by another alien who could give a Kenyan a run for his money in the NY Marathon.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 17 May 2026
Single’s Inferno in particular showcases a cast of women and men mostly in their early twenties on a deserted island, their poreless skin glowing as a breeze blows through their windswept hair.
—Sarah Wang, PEOPLE, 16 May 2026
Mangum says a key locale for the land was the deserted structures of Two Guns, Ariz.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
And later, the inquisitive head of a couple of snappers (don’t point too close) draws multiple onlookers on the boardwalk, which is sometimes eerily deserted but sometimes requires single-file trekking.
—Dewayne Bevil, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 Apr. 2026
Videos on social media showed militant convoys in trucks and motorcycles moving through the town's deserted streets, while residents looked on fearfully.
—CBS News, 25 Apr. 2026
Unlike the shopping mall other businesses across the city appear deserted, and their corridors are rife with shuttered stores.
—Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 23 Apr. 2026
Sometimes the most heartwarming stories come from the most unexpected places — like a security camera inside a deserted Russian water park at night.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 15 Apr. 2026
The boy runs toward the water as the pair explore and play throughout the deserted park, including splashing in pools and moving through different areas of the facility.
—Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
The expedition’s two ships, the HMS Erebus and the HMS Terror, were carrying 129 crew members when the vessels became trapped in Arctic ice for nearly two years before crews deserted them in April 1848.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 12 May 2026
Idle oil wells cleanup Senate Bill 47 raises the cap on how much money from the Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Administrative Fund can be spent to plug and cleanup deserted oil wells, according to the California State Senate website.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
april 22, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026
But classrooms sat half-empty and the playground was deserted.
—Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 15 Apr. 2026
As befits such an environment, his handling of tactile stuff—not just silk and fur but bread and brickwork, too—never deserted him.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
On Saturday, two of Britain’s great strengths — fast starting and the ability to climb through the fleet after a poor start — both deserted them.
—Andrew Rice, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2026
In Islamabad, the streets of a normally bustling capital were deserted Saturday as security forces sealed roads ahead of the talks.
—ABC News, 11 Apr. 2026
Albuquerque’s fleet had been struck by famine, and many of his men had deserted him.
—Sanat Pai Raikarall, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Apr. 2026
For 80 years the lighthouse sat deserted.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deserted
Adjective
-
Born on May 13, 1958, in California, Sheets appeared on 163 episodes of Storage Wars between 2010 and 2023, vying with other buyers of abandoned and unopened storage lockers being auctioned.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
22 Apr. 2026
-
The city has been overwhelmed in recent years by an influx of abandoned and stray dogs and puppies.—
Alyce McFadden,
San Francisco Chronicle,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The comments came two weeks after the House rejected DeSantis’ push to pass bills to expand vaccine exemptions for children entering public schools and to install consumer-friendly regulations on artificial intelligence products and companies.—
Gray Rohrer,
Sun Sentinel,
15 May 2026
-
Bianco launched a voter‑fraud investigation after a local group claimed the county counted roughly 46,000 more ballots than were received, a claim election officials rejected.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
For months, the fighters had been quietly clearing a disused water tunnel just over 2 miles long, deep behind enemy lines in the countryside around Aleppo.—
Emily Feng,
NPR,
17 May 2026
-
It is already known that it will be located on the grounds of a disused former nursery and will include a large pond with a pergola.—
Valentine Ulgu-Servant,
Vanity Fair,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The order stranded them indefinitely, sometimes in life-threatening conditions.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
The strait’s closure has stranded tankers and caused energy prices to spike, threatening global economic growth.—
Will Weissert,
Chicago Tribune,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
The delicate pitter-patter of a drum’s cymbal is the only sound to break through the thick brick wall of the obscure performance venue, Sun Space, and reach the wide, desolate Sunland Boulevard.—
Christopher Buchanan,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2026
-
Earlier this week, along a desolate stretch of road lined with oil refineries just north of the border between Shandong and Hebei provinces, an awareness of that spotlight seemed palpable.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
Adjective
-
But during a time when Detroit officials had verifiable data on formerly vacant homes and buildings being redeveloped into housing, they were frustrated that Census population estimates did not align with local data.—
Paula Wethington,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
-
Whatever the case may be, don’t let your shoes spend too long vacant on the porch.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Once the colony grew, the birds roosted in a derelict military barracks nearby, later returning to the pine forest when the facility was renovated.—
Amarachi Orie,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
-
When Ken Fulk and Kurt Wootton purchased what would become Durham Ranch—named after one of their dogs—the California wine country property was in disrepair, with a derelict 1940s ranch house and a handful of rickety outbuildings.—
Mark David,
Robb Report,
17 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Idaho Senate majority leader will face a challenger, and two hopefuls will vie for a vacated House seat in legislative District 22 in the upcoming GOP primary.—
Rose Evans
May 8,
Idaho Statesman,
8 May 2026
-
Customers adjust plans A number of travelers did not get the shutdown message, arriving instead late Saturday morning at a vacated Spirit departure area at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International’s Terminal 4.—
David Lyons,
Sun Sentinel,
2 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deserted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deserted. Accessed 19 May. 2026.
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