desolate Definition
- 1feeling or showing great unhappiness or loneliness
- 2barren or laid waste; devastated
- 3having no inhabitants; deserted
Using desolate: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "desolate" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The desolate landscape stretched out before us.
Example
After the war, the city was left desolate and in ruins.
Example
She felt desolate and alone after her husband's death.
Example
The abandoned house looked desolate and eerie.
Example
The once-thriving town is now desolate and empty.
desolate Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with desolate
Example
He was filled with a desolate hope that things would get better.
Example
The desert was a desolate wasteland, with no signs of life for miles around.
Example
The old factory was a desolate place, with broken windows and rusted machinery.
Origins of desolate
from Latin 'desolatus', meaning 'abandoned'
Summary: desolate in Brief
The term 'desolate' [ˈdɛsələt] describes a state of great unhappiness or loneliness, as well as a landscape that is barren or devastated. It can also refer to a place that has no inhabitants. Examples include 'The desolate landscape stretched out before us,' and 'She felt desolate and alone after her husband's death.' Phrases like 'desolate wasteland' and 'desolate place' further illustrate the emptiness and lack of life associated with the term.