desolate

[ˈdɛsələt]

desolate Definition

• 1. feeling or showing great unhappiness or loneliness
• 2. barren or laid waste; devastated
• 3. having 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

Synonyms for desolate

• bleak
• dreary
• forlorn
• isolated
• empty

Antonyms for desolate

• populated
• lively
• thriving

Phrases with desolate

• desolate hope

  a feeling of despair or loss of hope

  Example

  He was filled with a desolate hope that things would get better.

• desolate wasteland

  an area of land that is barren and uninhabitable

  Example

  The desert was a desolate wasteland, with no signs of life for miles around.

• desolate place

  a location that is empty and devoid of life or activity

  Example

  The old factory was a desolate place, with broken windows and rusted machinery.

Origins of desolate

from Latin 'desolatus', meaning 'abandoned'

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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.