Synonyms of deserted

deserted 1 of 2

adjective

as in abandoned

left unoccupied or unused

we had the deserted beach all to ourselves

Synonyms & Similar Words

• abandoned
• disused
• desolate
• vacant
• derelict
• vacated
• forsaken
• rejected
• forgotten
• empty
• void
• discarded
• neglected
• ignored
• unattended
• untended
• junked
• shabby
• refuse
• waste
• idle
• miserable
• jettisoned
• godforsaken
• castaway
• wretched
• cast-off

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recovered
• reclaimed
• saved
• redeemed
• restored
• salvaged
• retrieved
• rescued
• reconditioned
• rehabilitated
• rehabbed
• repeopled

deserted

2 of 2

verb

past tense of desert

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

• abandoned
• rejected
• left
• withdrew
• defected (from)
• jumped ship
• renounced
• forsook
• went back on
• spurned
• ran out on
• disowned
• ratted (on)
• walked out on
• cut off
• repudiated
• departed
• abdicated
• quit
• went
• abjured
• reneged
• apostatized

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stuck (to or with)
• adhered (to)
• cultivated
• clung (to)
• fostered
• cherished

2

as in left

to cause to remain behind

deserted the kids at the food court for some independent shopping

Synonyms & Similar Words

• left
• stranded
• abandoned
• dumped
• marooned
• forsook
• quit
• discarded
• flung
• shed
• escaped
• walked away from
• relinquished
• vacated
• walked out on
• scrapped
• ignored
• ditched
• withdrew (from)
• rejected
• renounced
• junked
• surrendered
• separated (from)
• jettisoned
• sacrificed
• neglected
• cut off
• retreated (from)
• gave up
• forgot
• repudiated
• handed over
• took off (from)
• threw away
• disregarded
• disowned
• delivered
• yielded
• threw out
• shucked (off)
• abjured
• distanced

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• had
• owned
• possessed
• reserved
• held
• kept
• retained
• reclaimed
• withheld
• saved
• harbored
• rescued
• redeemed

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of deserted

Adjective

The streets are deserted, the glow of the floodlights on the wreckage fade behind him. — Jeff Goodell, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

There’s even a nod to 28 Days Later, with Zeta-Jones hobbling across a deserted Westminster Bridge in London wearing blue hospital scrubs, just like Cillian Murphy’s Jim in the 2002 horror movie. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 2 Sep. 2026

The landscape of the deserted street was becoming all red sand and brown stone. — Alex Jovanovich, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026

Among all the far-off places, and all the deserted and unknown cities, among all the lawless, godless regions, the Guayrá was an oasis. — Literary Hub, 14 Aug. 2026

The red-brick Southeast Lighthouse, perched atop the Mohegan Bluffs, is all but deserted. — Lindsay Cohn, Travel + Leisure, 9 Aug. 2026

As long a there’s a full-serve station within a mile or two, in the middle of the night, your car will wander off down deserted streets at low speed, and fill up. — Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026

Sparkly, semiattired Lolla kids are this weekend swarming around such oft-deserted environs as Van Buren Street, Jackson Boulevard and State Street. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026

Authorities reopened more communities Friday, but several remained largely deserted Saturday. — Thomas Adamson, Los Angeles Times, 1 Aug. 2026

Verb

In the process, the room itself is illuminated, revealing a workshop deserted in a hurry by its artisans, clay, sawdust, fabric, paper, and paint scattered across the atelier workbenches. — Liam Hess, Vogue, 9 Sep. 2026

When Jacquie Navratil rolls up to Angel City Lumber in an all-but-deserted stretch of industrial Boyle Heights on a summer Sunday, her white Dodge Caravan SE loaded with cat-trapping gear, she’s been in cat rescue mode for hours. — Adam Tschorn, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Life and death are entangled, like a once-prosperous but now deserted community. — Jonathan Flint, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026

In August, Rome is deserted as locals ditch the sweltering city for the sea, but everyone returns in the fall, refreshed and energized for the season ahead. — Laura Itzkowitz, Travel + Leisure, 21 Aug. 2026

Another neighbor said the apartment was deserted when police arrived. — Kerry Burke, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026

One season on our family farm, deer deserted a tree stand that had produced results for years. — David Farbman, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026

Beaches near Pensacola, Florida, were mostly deserted except for tourists taking photos of the pounding surf. — ABC News, 22 July 2026

Mbappe wasn’t the worst of France’s attackers and never stopped trying to turn the tide, but his quality deserted him. — Liam Twomey, New York Times, 16 July 2026