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as in desert
land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops looked out over the vast untamed desolation to the north

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of desolation But Joao Felix, whose miss means Portugal are out, is a picture of desolation — hands on head, shirt in mouth. Tim Spiers, The Athletic, 9 July 2024 Drama, comedy, romance, elation and desolation are all fluidly threaded into the story, as are tunes that range from humorous numbers to intimate expressions of solitude to rousing reaffirmations of solidarity in challenging circumstances. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019 Singing with heartbreaking sweetness of both familiar desolation and fresh hope, Pratt’s voice remains the music’s animating spirit. Pitchfork, 3 Dec. 2024 Its peaceful stillness and silence can become desolation, and its beautiful bleakness a portent of doom. Jody Mamone, Hartford Courant, 22 Nov. 2024 See All Example Sentences for desolation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desolation
Noun
  • The 2025 Indian Wells Open will kick off this week in the California desert, where the best players in the world will be taking the court.
    Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Saguaro National Park Before The Summer Heat Arrives Arizona’s deserts are at their most comfortable during spring, with daytime highs around 70–80°F.
    Emese Maczko, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • As noted on the Alamo website, the site fell into disrepair until the U.S. Army took it over in the 1840s as a supply hub, only to be abandoned again with the building of a more permanent military garrison at Fort Sam Houston.
    Marc Ramirez, USA TODAY, 6 Mar. 2025
  • But the stone bridge has fallen into disrepair, with the Chicago Department of Transportation cordoning it off to pedestrian traffic in 2013.
    Robert Channick, Chicago Tribune, 5 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • In her new book, Black in Blues: How a Color Tells the Story of My People, Perry explores blue as a symbol of both hope and melancholy throughout Black history.
    Tonya Mosley, NPR, 28 Jan. 2025
  • The Elephant Man is an elegant picture, one of Lynch’s most straightforward and touching films—but even then, the joyful melancholy of its visual poetry is distinctly his own.
    Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The whole incident sets off the unicorn’s mother and father to look for it, laying destruction to anybody in its path.
    Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Here, Clay, played by Al Freeman Jr., is a fool too easily lured by Lula’s unhinged seduction, all but assuring his destruction.
    Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Prolonged, elevated cortisol levels or chronic stress can disrupt these processes, leading to inflammation, chronic pain, depression, and even the progression of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.2 Cortisol levels are meant to slowly decline throughout the day.
    Caitlin Pagán, Verywell Health, 28 Feb. 2025
  • It's being leveraged across industries, from automating routine tasks to addressing challenges like C-suite depression and burnout.
    Julian Hayes II, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The side chat, though, was all about the email invitation, which had inspired dozens of famous recipients to not just reply but reply-all, causing inbox havoc among the publishing and comedy elite.
    Paula Aceves, Vulture, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Grant consistently gets into the backfield as a two-technique player, creating havoc on rushing downs.
    Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • If the club compounds the loss of Miller’s offensive value by also losing Boeser, whether that happens this week or this summer, then the need for Canucks management to pull a rabbit out of a hat in grafting high-end attacking juice into the lineup will become even more urgent.
    Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 5 Mar. 2025
  • The Dallas Mavericks star suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during Monday’s 122-98 loss to the Sacramento Kings, ESPN reported Tuesday.
    Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 4 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This is not the doomsday scenario of human extinction that some people in the AI field have warned could arise from the technology.
    Paulo Carvão, The Conversation, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Colossal Biosciences, the world’s first company dedicated to bringing back animals from extinction, just got one step closer to its ambitious goal.
    Bruce Gil, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Desolation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desolation. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.

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