forlorn Definition
- 1pitifully sad and abandoned or lonely
- 2unlikely to succeed or be fulfilled; hopeless
Using forlorn: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "forlorn" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The forlorn puppy was left on the side of the road.
Example
He looked forlorn and lost in the big city.
Example
The team's chances of winning seemed forlorn after their star player got injured.
Example
She had a forlorn hope that he would come back.
forlorn Synonyms and Antonyms
Idioms Using forlorn
Example
His parents' divorce left him forlorn and depressed.
Example
It was a forlorn hope that he would pass the exam without studying.
forlorn-looking
appearing sad, lonely, and abandoned
Example
The old house was forlorn-looking, with broken windows and overgrown weeds.
Phrases with forlorn
a group of soldiers or volunteers who are sent on a dangerous mission with little chance of success
Example
The forlorn hope charged the enemy lines, knowing that most of them would not survive.
Example
He stood there like a forlorn figure, waiting for someone to notice him.
a state of being without hope or prospects
Example
The refugees were filled with forlorn hopelessness, having lost everything they had.
Origins of forlorn
from Old English 'forloren', past participle of 'forlēosan', meaning 'lose, abandon'
Summary: forlorn in Brief
The term 'forlorn' [fəˈlɔːn] describes a state of sadness, abandonment, or loneliness. It can also refer to a situation that seems hopeless or unlikely to succeed, as in 'The team's chances of winning seemed forlorn after their star player got injured.' 'Forlorn' extends into phrases like 'forlorn hope,' and idioms like 'leave someone forlorn,' denoting abandonment, and 'a forlorn hope,' implying an unlikely prospect.
