1
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
a desolate house abandoned many years ago
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of desolate
Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The field, a desolate oil patch, will eventually be the central location for what became known as the Texas Killing Fields.
—John Wayne Ferguson, Houston Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
But now a desolate school year, long and full of needs not her own, yawned.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Markets usually jammed with customers were desolate on Friday, with some vendors loudly promoting their products in a desperate attempt to attract customers.
—Boston Herald Wire Services, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for desolate
Adjective
Eastern New Mexico — dry, desolate — looks and feels very much like an appendage of West Texas.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
The field, a desolate oil patch, will eventually be the central location for what became known as the Texas Killing Fields.
—John Wayne Ferguson, Houston Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026
But now a desolate school year, long and full of needs not her own, yawned.
—Literary Hub, 1 Apr. 2026
Markets usually jammed with customers were desolate on Friday, with some vendors loudly promoting their products in a desperate attempt to attract customers.
—Boston Herald Wire Services, Boston Herald, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for desolate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desolate
Adjective
-
Speaking at an event held at the Aloft Hotel in Doral, a hub for Venezuelan diaspora activism, Guanipa painted a bleak picture of conditions inside Venezuela and sharply criticized the country’s current leadership, accusing those in power of clinging to control despite widespread rejection.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
2 May 2026
-
Without giving too much away about the endings of Caveat and Oddity, McCarthy (like Ohm) leans toward the bleak and open-ended.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
If your friend is lonely or struggling to establish her identity without her sister living in the house, time with friends and time intentionally getting to know herself will be more productive.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The couple didn’t want Polly to be lonely.—
Eric Adler
April 26,
Kansas City Star,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
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,
CBS News,
25 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.—
Mark Banchereau,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
So is neighboring Idaho, home to a federal nuclear lab, and Utah, where Governor Spencer Cox recently staged a press conference in the barren scrubland west of Salt Lake City.—
Kirk Siegler,
NPR,
2 May 2026
-
Ground covers can suppress weeds, protect topsoil from erosion and drought, and fill empty gaps between stepping stones, pavers, and barren ground.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
26 Apr. 2026
-
Apparently, staff learned to wash their hands, but the roaches returned to ruin another inspector’s visit.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But what exactly happens to these baby stars next isn't always clear (literally) because they are buried deep within clouds of dark, dusty gas that obscure them.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
28 Apr. 2026
-
All the bedrooms can be found upstairs, including one that’s currently being used as an office and a primary suite flaunting dual dressing rooms and baths, plus a sauna clad in dark gray stone.—
Wendy Bowman,
Robb Report,
28 Apr. 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
Adjective
-
Democrats have attacked these anti-fraud policies as an effort to undermine safety net programs for the impoverished.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The redevelopment could begin unfolding as the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation, the former Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, begins construction on a new $35 million headquarters in Clay Arsenal, two major projects for the long-impoverished neighborhood.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Desolate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desolate. Accessed 4 May. 2026.
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