DESOLATIONS Synonyms: 75 Similar and Opposite Words

desolations

noun

plural of desolation

as in deserts

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in disrepairs

the state of being unattended to or not cared for the desolation of the abandoned garden

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in devastations

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for desolations

Noun

Gramby, 41, founded her practice, Crown of Glory Birth Services, in 2018, partly to help meet the needs of women lacking care in maternity deserts.

— Kristin Wright, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026
Maternity care deserts lead to worse outcomes for both mother and baby, Warren says.

— Alana Semuels, Time, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of deserts

Noun

The project supports countries that are trying to deliver Target 4 of the CBD Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which calls for governments around the world to halt extinctions and improve the conservation status of endangered species.

— Mya Copeland, Variety, 4 Aug. 2026
Environmental organizations have decried the change as a complete gutting that will rapidly accelerate extinctions, and have sued in federal court.

— Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026

Definition of extinctions

Noun

In its place urchin barrens now carpet the seafloor; a spiny, silent landscape stripped of life.

— Tatjana Baleta, Time, 28 May 2026
The forests are marked by sparse conifer stands, woodlands, herbaceous vegetation, and unvegetated barrens that dominate the transition to Arctic tundra.

— Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 10 Feb. 2026

Definition of barrens

Noun

This year alone, over 3,200 Palestinians have been displaced across the West Bank by settler attacks and demolitions, according to the United Nations.

— Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
Somebody could also theoretically nominate Crown Center for local historic status, which could allow the Historic Preservation Commission to delay demolitions for up to three years.

— Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of demolitions

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.

Browse Nearby Words

desolation

desolations

despair

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Desolations.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desolations. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of desolations

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on desolations

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

oxymoron

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Is “GIF” Pronounced “Jiff” or “Giff”?

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes