1
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
a desolate house abandoned many years ago
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lonely
sad from lack of companionship or separation from others
he was less desolate after adopting a rescue dog
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in deserted
left unoccupied or unused
a desolate mining town that had its brief heyday more than a century ago
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
wild, desolate plains on which only the hardiest could survive
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to ruin
to bring to a complete end the physical soundness, existence, or usefulness of
totally desolated the city with aerial bombs
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 desolate
Kate Wong, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2025
The lock screen on the Mac remains a desolate place, relative to the same area in both iOS and iPadOS—this is still a no-notifications, no-widgets zone that exists only to keep your Mac locked.
—ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025
While the rest of Burning Man celebrated, Kruglov lay prostrate on the ground at a faraway campsite in a comparatively desolate section of Black Rock City, his throat slashed, as a puddle of blood congealed around his lifeless body.
—Denver Nicks, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2025
Silksong is steeped in religious imagery — desolate chapels, ringing church bells, even rosary beads that act as in-game currency.
—Keller Gordon, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desolate
Adjective
The coastal floodplain that was desolate throughout the long winter is now lush with plant life and buzzing with insects.
—Kate Wong, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2025
The lock screen on the Mac remains a desolate place, relative to the same area in both iOS and iPadOS—this is still a no-notifications, no-widgets zone that exists only to keep your Mac locked.
—ArsTechnica, 15 Sep. 2025
While the rest of Burning Man celebrated, Kruglov lay prostrate on the ground at a faraway campsite in a comparatively desolate section of Black Rock City, his throat slashed, as a puddle of blood congealed around his lifeless body.
—Denver Nicks, Rolling Stone, 14 Sep. 2025
Silksong is steeped in religious imagery — desolate chapels, ringing church bells, even rosary beads that act as in-game currency.
—Keller Gordon, NPR, 8 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for desolate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desolate
Adjective
-
While there is still a chance that Sanders and Colorado can turn things around, the rest of the season is looking bleak.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
From a bleak job hunt upon her arrival in 2016 to undergoing treatment for her second bout with breast cancer during the uncertainty and fear of COVID, Davis recalls her journey through raw vulnerability and splashes of humor.—
Essence,
Essence,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
As gaming becomes a more mainstream activity, however, these stereotypes grow more archaic, and a new study from the Entertainment Software Association suggests that the universal image of a gamer as a lonely young male is not just outdated, but inaccurate.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
8 Oct. 2025
-
His lonely white panel cap, the lucky charm the Jays wore for four-straight victories, sat alone on a cushioned chair.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Today, the incredible deserted ruins of this once-powerful city, perched like a fortified eagle’s nest high in the mountains of southwestern Turkey, can be conquered by anyone willing to make the hike up here.—
Barry Neild,
CNN Money,
23 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
The Giants have Logan Webb and Robbie Ray as their 1-2 punch, but the starting pitching is barren behind them.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Piazzale Angelo Moratti will no longer appear like a vast docking station for a bleeping spaceship on a barren planet, serviced only by rickety trams and a purple metro line.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Or pursue the rancid criminal element across the galaxy as a bounty hunter, making your fortune by ruining bad guys' lives.—
Alan Bradley,
Space.com,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Nothing ruins a trip faster than your suitcase not showing up at baggage claim, right?—
Emily Belfiore,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Smithsonian Institution, which includes all the Smithsonian museums, plans to go dark after Saturday if the government shutdown continues beyond then, according to its website.—
Matt Egan,
CNN Money,
7 Oct. 2025
-
Polselli brings a painterly gaze to scenes of quiet dread, such as a figure gradually appearing out of thick brush as two women make their way home through dark woods.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 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
-
The easy route takes visitors along a disused rail line for a gentle jaunt in one of the Pacific Northwest's loveliest regions.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Travel + Leisure,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
But the Shah’s failure to provide support to the peasants led to their farms failing, and sent waves of impoverished migrants to Tehran and other Iranian cities—many of whom would later fuel the 1979 revolution.—
Nik Kowsar,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Her existence in the vibrant capital city of Sepphoris brings into questions some of our traditional assumptions of Mary as an impoverished illiterate from a backwater rural village with no exposure to Greco-Roman culture.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Desolate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desolate. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share