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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of deserted
Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 10 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
Vicky's patrol car was found deserted at a local shopping center, and the pair fled in an orange 2007 Ford Edge.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 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
As the pandemic set in, Garrison occasionally drove downtown in his Cadillac and met with Claude Kelly, the public defender, in his deserted office.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
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
But on Saturday, his powers of recovery deserted him, and – by the end of the day – so had his lead.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 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
The normally bustling streets of Islamabad were deserted Saturday morning 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
Two people were killed and two others injured when two vehicles collided head-on Friday evening along a dusty, deserted stretch of road in the Antelope Valley, authorities said.
—Andrew Khouri, Los Angeles Times, 10 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
Vicky's patrol car was found deserted at a local shopping center, and the pair fled in an orange 2007 Ford Edge.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 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
As the pandemic set in, Garrison occasionally drove downtown in his Cadillac and met with Claude Kelly, the public defender, in his deserted office.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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
But on Saturday, his powers of recovery deserted him, and – by the end of the day – so had his lead.
—Don Riddell, CNN Money, 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
The normally bustling streets of Islamabad were deserted Saturday morning 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
-
While Raman portrayed herself as the focus of attacks from both opponents, Bass’ campaign rejected that framing as a distraction from her debate performance and City Council record.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
8 May 2026
-
Last year, the governor rejected the legislation banning algorithms that had been used to hike rent prices in Denver and elsewhere, despite a letter from the House Democratic caucus urging him to sign it.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
The museum will be housed in a disused aquarium in Yeouido, Seoul’s main financial district.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But Colorado left runners on the corners in the fourth and stranded the bases loaded in the sixth after McCarthy’s blooped double to center tied the game.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
7 May 2026
-
Brock led off the seventh with a single but Millikan sophomore Jade Torres stranded the tying run at first base to seal the Rams a 4-3 victory at Fullerton High in a clash of league champions preparing for the CIF-SS playoffs.—
Dan Albano,
Oc Register,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
On desolate rural strips or town squares, Mary is always the same.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 May 2026
-
Considered ancient leftovers from the formation of our solar system, these desolate bodies don't meet the criteria to be considered planets.—
Eric Lagatta,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
For example, with more vacant downtown office space on the market, the city should work to bring more office-to-housing conversion projects online.—
David Garrick,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
-
That council seat was vacant for less than six weeks.—
Nick Sullivan,
Charlotte Observer,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
This stretch of the park, an object of fascination for Urbano, contains an array of a hundred or so different models of public gaslights, now obsolete and semi-derelict.—
Javier Montes,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 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 12 May. 2026.
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