desolate

adjective
UK: /ˈdes.ə.lət/
US: /ˈdes.əl.ət/

  1. Empty and sad; without people or life.

    1. The park is desolate in winter.
    2. After the fire, the landscape was utterly desolate, with only blackened trees remaining.

  2. Feeling very sad and lonely.

    1. I felt so desolate after she left.
    2. He was left feeling utterly desolate when his best friend moved away.

Synonyms

bleak bare forlorn abandoned miserable lonely
desolate verb

  1. To make a place empty and without people.

    1. The war desolated the city.
    2. Years of drought had desolated the region, turning fertile land into a barren wasteland.

  2. To make someone feel very sad and lonely.

    1. Her departure desolated him.
    2. The news of his failure utterly desolated him, leaving him without any hope.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "desolate" in English means: Empty and sad; without people or life., Feeling very sad and lonely..

The phonetic transcription of "desolate" is /ˈdes.ə.lət/ in British English and /ˈdes.əl.ət/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "desolate": bleak, bare, forlorn, abandoned, miserable, lonely.

Example usage of "desolate": "The park is desolate in winter.". More examples on the page.