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
Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Nghia lies in the center of the deserted town as his spirit is seemingly overtaken by Abel and Moroder, whose eyes mimic the colors of the lights surrounding them.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2025
Visiting on a quiet Friday in early fall, Tabarca’s streets almost deserted.
—Miquel Ros, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
But the other afternoon the joint was nearly deserted.
—Jane Bua, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Where to stay Set along an 11-mile stretch of deserted beach on Sardinia’s rugged Costa Verde, Le Dune Piscinas is framed by Europe’s tallest sand dunes, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
—Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 26 Sep. 2025
As Joshua Tree luxury rentals market gains momentum, expect the desert to feel a little less deserted.
—Paula Conway, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
So how does Fernanda end up bound on the floor of a deserted cabin, held hostage by one of her teachers and estranged from Annelise?
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2025
Days are spent fishing, snorkeling, and picnicking on deserted Indian Ocean islands, while nights are spent sleeping under the stars.
—Ian Proctor, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2025
Alia Brahimi, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Advertisement Advertisement The numbers are catching up to a story being told by locals and visitors for several months now, of an eerily empty Vegas Strip and deserted casino floors.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 13 Aug. 2025
Several Cuban doctors who deserted the mission sued PAHO, claiming the organization benefited from a labor-trafficking scheme in which the Cuban government pocketed about 85 percent of the salary payments made by Brazil.
—Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
From hotels to theme parks to jails, the Bluegrass State has deserted sites galore.
—Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Aug. 2025
Nowadays, with the film business contracting around blockbusters, the little pictures, the B pictures and the silly pictures have deserted the theaters for television which, in its streaming multiplicity, has room to absorb them.
—Robert Lloyd, Boston Herald, 7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
And though the visuals start calmly enough, with an old man puttering through a deserted city, the flashing blue, green, and red lights inject a jolt of madness that’s pushed into the surreal as the man confronts giant statue heads of the Weeknd and Moroder floating above the city.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 10 Oct. 2025
Nghia lies in the center of the deserted town as his spirit is seemingly overtaken by Abel and Moroder, whose eyes mimic the colors of the lights surrounding them.
—Michael Saponara, Billboard, 10 Oct. 2025
Visiting on a quiet Friday in early fall, Tabarca’s streets almost deserted.
—Miquel Ros, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2025
But the other afternoon the joint was nearly deserted.
—Jane Bua, New Yorker, 6 Oct. 2025
Where to stay Set along an 11-mile stretch of deserted beach on Sardinia’s rugged Costa Verde, Le Dune Piscinas is framed by Europe’s tallest sand dunes, part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.
—Chloe Arrojado, AFAR Media, 26 Sep. 2025
As Joshua Tree luxury rentals market gains momentum, expect the desert to feel a little less deserted.
—Paula Conway, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
So how does Fernanda end up bound on the floor of a deserted cabin, held hostage by one of her teachers and estranged from Annelise?
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 11 Sep. 2025
Days are spent fishing, snorkeling, and picnicking on deserted Indian Ocean islands, while nights are spent sleeping under the stars.
—Ian Proctor, Travel + Leisure, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
In Cameroon, so many skilled officers have deserted from the military to fight for Russia in Ukraine for up to $3,000 a month, that in March, the Cameroonian government instituted a ban on uniformed men from leaving the country.
—Alia Brahimi, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Advertisement Advertisement The numbers are catching up to a story being told by locals and visitors for several months now, of an eerily empty Vegas Strip and deserted casino floors.
—Solcyré Burga, Time, 13 Aug. 2025
Several Cuban doctors who deserted the mission sued PAHO, claiming the organization benefited from a labor-trafficking scheme in which the Cuban government pocketed about 85 percent of the salary payments made by Brazil.
—Nora Gamez Torres, Miami Herald, 13 Aug. 2025
From hotels to theme parks to jails, the Bluegrass State has deserted sites galore.
—Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 8 Aug. 2025
Nowadays, with the film business contracting around blockbusters, the little pictures, the B pictures and the silly pictures have deserted the theaters for television which, in its streaming multiplicity, has room to absorb them.
—Robert Lloyd, Boston Herald, 7 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deserted
Adjective
-
Thousands of abandoned and derelict vessels around the US pose environmental and navigational challenges.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
12 Aug. 2025
-
The 33 towns being considered for this project, which are expected to meet final approval in the coming weeks, are all on the brink of extinction with the number of empty and abandoned houses outnumbering those that are inhabited.—
Barbie Latza Nadeau,
CNN,
21 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Much of the derision was coming from the performers’ contemporaries — some of whom had rejected the invite on moral and political grounds, but many who were not actually invited to perform.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
11 Oct. 2025
-
Some 88 percent of mice rejected pancreatic cancer, 75 percent of mice did for breast cancer and 69 percent rejected melanoma tumors.—
Hannah Millington,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The piece is a collection of disused shoemaker boxes, once used by cobblers to keep tools, pressed against each other and stacked up, clambering toward the ceiling.—
Edna Bonhomme,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Whereas the final planned tumbleweed rovers would be 16 feet (five meter) across, in April 2025, Team Tumbleweed tested a half-size prototype called the Tumbleweed Science Testbed in a disused quarry in the Netherlands.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In total about 580 hikers, in addition to more than 300 guides, yak herders and other workers who were stranded, have all reached safety, China’s state news agency Xinhua reported.—
Kaijing Xiao,
ABC News,
12 Oct. 2025
-
The Tigers stranded six runners in extra innings.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
To find the killer, Sherlock Holmes and Watson will have to brave desolate moors before a family curse dooms the newest heirs.—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
1 Oct. 2025
-
With its primary tenant away, the pro stadium here in central Japan was desolate outside.—
Brad Lefton,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Once considered safe bets for steady rent, many now sit vacant.—
Amachie Ackah,
Fortune,
10 Oct. 2025
-
Currently vacant, the building sits on a 1-acre parcel and includes a loading dock, freight elevator, multiple bathrooms and a main office with lobby.—
Matthew Glowicki,
Louisville Courier Journal,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
An old and derelict residential hotel in Detroit that was immortalized in a song by The White Stripes has been shut down by the city.—
JC Reindl,
Freep.com,
22 Sep. 2025
-
Here’s the logline: Upon discovering millions in cash in a derelict stash house, trust among a team of Miami cops begins to fray.—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
That makes Foden, who runs into the vacated space, the spare man.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Miran is on temporary leave from his position as chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) while serving out the remaining four months of a vacated term on the Fed board of governors.—
Sylvan Lane,
The Hill,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deserted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deserted. Accessed 13 Oct. 2025.
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