desolation

noun

ˌde-sə-ˈlā-shən How to pronounce desolation (audio)
Definition of desolationnext
1
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits his desolation after his twin brother died was incurable

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2
as in desert
land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops looked out over the vast untamed desolation to the north

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3
as in disrepair
the state of being unattended to or not cared for the desolation of the abandoned garden

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4
as in devastation
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless the nuclear attack resulted in a scene of utter desolation

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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 desolation Amid relative desolation, Merrill went 2-for-3 off Sánchez, perhaps the early favorite for the National League Cy Young Award. — Dennis Lin, New York Times, 28 May 2026 The formerly high-end shopping destination, featured as a backdrop for a scene in a 1985 John Hughes movie, has more recently devolved into desolation. — Audrey Pachuta, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2026 On Carve, despondency and desolation remain her default modes. — Colin Joyce, Pitchfork, 21 Apr. 2026 The neighborhood/area While visitors are encouraged to tour Cockburn Harbor, South Caicos’s capital and largest settlement, the island’s appeal is its desolation. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for desolation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desolation
  1. sadness
  2. desert
  3. disrepair
  4. devastation
  5. melancholy
  6. destruction
  7. depression
  8. havoc
Noun
  • Each new body part is tinged with a bit of pleasure, pushing up against the edges of my sadness and embracing it chummily.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 July 2026
  • The Hole Truth And Nothing Butt, telling the story of these Texan wildmen and their real-life moments of brilliance and hilarity, with revelations of profound sadness.
    — Steve Appleford, SPIN, 20 July 2026
Definition of sadness
Noun
  • The idea was intended to address the shortage of water that cultivators face during the dry season in Ladakh, which is a high-altitude cold desert.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 21 July 2026
  • Temperatures could also exceed 100 degrees in the Inland Empire and some parts of San Diego County’s interior valleys and surpass 110 degrees in the deserts, said Sebastian Westerink, meteorologist with the weather service’s San Diego office.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
Definition of desert
Noun
  • Without keepers present for daily maintenance in the oft-harsh and briny air, many fell into disrepair and were considered excess property by the federal government, which did not set aside much money for preservation.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Nearly a year ago, CBS Colorado reported on the home, which had sat vacant for more than six years while falling into severe disrepair.
    — Brian Maass, CBS News, 2 July 2026
Definition of disrepair
Noun
  • Burnham has criticized Starmer's approach to Israel's war with Hamas and the devastation of Gaza.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 July 2026
  • Their stories recount the devastation to homes and businesses, life in temporary shelters, and the difficult process of rebuilding or relocating.
    — Michelle Oliva-Espinosa, Kansas City Star, 18 July 2026
Definition of devastation
Noun
  • Beneath all the sensuality and beauty, there’s also a lingering melancholy that feels very familiar to me.
    — Erik Pedersen, Oc Register, 16 June 2026
  • Don Hertzfeldt occasionally comes to mind for a similarly pervasive mood of questioning, philosophical melancholy.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 12 June 2026
Definition of melancholy
Noun
  • Growing concerns over wildfire preparedness The destruction of Collins has renewed questions about whether Ontario’s wildfire strategy is keeping pace with increasingly intense fire seasons.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
  • Two Democratic lawmakers have introduced a bill to protect federal artworks, including New Deal-era masterpieces, from possible sale or destruction.
    — Harrison Jacobs, ARTnews.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of destruction
Noun
  • Its blockbuster antidepressant Prozac transformed the treatment of depression and fueled Lilly's last major sales boom before the GLP-1 explosion.
    — Angelica Peebles, CNBC, 16 July 2026
  • Research shows that these students are more likely to have poorer physical health, higher rates of depression and lower GPAs than their peers.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 16 July 2026
Definition of depression
Noun
  • His counterpressing has been a major aid to the way the team plays, and Balogun’s ability to run in behind the lines and cause havoc in the box opens space and makes things easier for the attacking players around him.
    — Paul Tenorio, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • You’d be forgiven for thinking far fewer of the destructive predators are causing havoc, however.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 2 July 2026
Definition of havoc

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Cite this Entry

“Desolation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desolation. Accessed 22 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of desolation for Spanish Speakers

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