1
as in sad
feeling unhappiness
she was forlorn when she found out the trip had been cancelled
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2
as in lonely
sad from lack of companionship or separation from others
a forlorn wanderer far from home
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3
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer
a forlorn little town whose brief economic boom ended decades ago
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4
as in desperate
feeling or showing no hope
the forlorn expression of a candidate who knows that he hasn't a prayer of winning the election
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of forlorn
Chernow follows the pattern of most biographers in giving this work less attention than the more chipper earlier books—which is a pity, because the later work also reflects the Twain best illuminated by Chernow’s biography and its emphasis on Twain’s most forlorn years.
—
Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 9 May 2025
Now the choice is to look back, with those forlorn mathematicians on the boat cruising past Wannsee, at the redemption that didn’t arrive; or, with the unnamed deserters on the hillside, to grab your rifle and face the return of the old gods of storm and war.
—Nicholas Dames, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
The video began with a clip of a seemingly forlorn Bronx sitting alone on a bed, looking visibly puzzled.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
Charlie Rangel was on his way to being another forlorn New Yorker born during the Depression and raised during WWII, dropping out of high school with two years to go.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for forlorn
Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 9 May 2025
Now the choice is to look back, with those forlorn mathematicians on the boat cruising past Wannsee, at the redemption that didn’t arrive; or, with the unnamed deserters on the hillside, to grab your rifle and face the return of the old gods of storm and war.
—Nicholas Dames, Harpers Magazine, 29 Apr. 2025
The video began with a clip of a seemingly forlorn Bronx sitting alone on a bed, looking visibly puzzled.
—Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025
Charlie Rangel was on his way to being another forlorn New Yorker born during the Depression and raised during WWII, dropping out of high school with two years to go.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for forlorn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forlorn
Adjective
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The building directly across the street stands in sad disrepair, its windows smashed, swathed in graffiti, a front garage door hangs half-open.—
Eric Adler,
Kansas City Star,
19 June 2025
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Two screenshots from the video showing Ollie was a sad facial expression.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
19 June 2025
Adjective
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On social media, there’s a certain kind of influencer who specializes in attracting lonely, unhappy people by brandishing mantras and principles that will allegedly lead them to more fulfilled and successful lives.—
Jia Tolentino,
New Yorker,
23 June 2025
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Over in her Hawaiian home land, 19-year-old Nani (Tia Carrere) has been trying her best to fend for herself and her lonely little sister Lilo (beautifully voiced by young Daveigh Chase) in the absence of their parents.—
Michael Rechtshaffen,
HollywoodReporter,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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During that bleak era, Che-Chung Tsai, a researcher at the University of Washington, contacted several companies, seeking experimental drugs for use in an animal study.—
Jon Cohen,
New Yorker,
24 June 2025
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That said, Google’s latest survey paints a bleak picture.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Adjective
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The leaders of both are desperate to find a ‘solution’ to the issue, in order to ward off the electoral challenges from right-wing parties such as Reform U.K. and France’s National Rally.—
Frey Lindsay,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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Separate efforts by the United Nations to distribute limited food have been plagued by armed gangs looting trucks and by crowds of desperate people offloading supplies from convoys.—
WAFAA SHURAFA,
Arkansas Online,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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The root of the fallout was the Who (and specifically Daltrey) being unhappy with Starkey’s performance when the band played a pair of Teenage Cancer Trust charity shows at London’s Royal Albert Hall in March.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
22 June 2025
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On Friday, Devers alluded to being unhappy with how the Red Sox treated him.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
20 June 2025
Adjective
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Construction sites and other workplaces have been desolate.—
Nicole Acevedo,
NBC news,
15 June 2025
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Her 12-day flight included crossing the rugged Ural Mountains and desolate Siberian wastes, while navigating with only a map and compass.—
Robb Report Studio,
Robb Report,
6 June 2025
Adjective
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Those who are convinced they’re trapped stay helpless and hopeless.—
Amy Morin,
CNBC,
12 June 2025
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In a world where the powerful increasingly act with impunity, taking fictional villains to task makes sense, a form of Hollywood wish fulfillment for those who feel stuck or hopeless.—
Whitney Friedlander,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2025
Adjective
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Nike reported fourth-quarter financial results that slightly topped depressed revenue and earnings-per-share estimates, but the full-year picture reflects the brand’s struggles, as 12-month revenue fell 10% to $46.3 billion.—
Kurt Badenhausen,
Sportico.com,
26 June 2025
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What resonates most strongly is the film’s subtler or more emotional moments — the camera lingering on a man left holding a stick after his dog fails to come back from a swim or the scene where Brody’s son mimics his depressed father’s body language at the dinner table.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Forlorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forlorn. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.
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