as in barren
land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops
we were lost in the desert for days without food
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in discipline
usually deserts plural
suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense
the robbers got their just deserts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to abandon
to leave (a cause or party) often in order to take up another
the volunteer became disillusioned with his candidate and deserted to a political rival
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to leave
to cause to remain behind
deserted the kids at the food court for some independent shopping
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in arid
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of desert
Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025
An uncle was among those displaced by the sectarian violence between Muslims and Christians, trekking hundreds of miles through deserts and war zones to the safety of the sprawling Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025
Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2025
Luck deserted the Reds as Radu Dragusin cleared Alexander-Arnold’s effort off the line before Lucas Bergvall scored the winner — after being fortunate to escape a second yellow card.
—Oli Gamp, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 15 Sep. 2022
Construction of the mega-project is expected to start in earnest in the Karoo, a semi-desert natural region of the country, in 2022.
—Conrad Onyango, Quartz, 1 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for desert
Noun
Paleontologists unearthed a nearly complete skull of an apex predator, which likely hunted early versions of primates, hippos, and elephants in what is now a desert.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 18 Feb. 2025
An uncle was among those displaced by the sectarian violence between Muslims and Christians, trekking hundreds of miles through deserts and war zones to the safety of the sprawling Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya.
—Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025
Verb
The outpost was officially named Fort Lauderdale that year, and although it was deserted a few years later, the name continued to appear on maps as Fort Lauderdale.
—Miami Herald, 21 Jan. 2025
Luck deserted the Reds as Radu Dragusin cleared Alexander-Arnold’s effort off the line before Lucas Bergvall scored the winner — after being fortunate to escape a second yellow card.
—Oli Gamp, The Athletic, 14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
Nor do the sunbaked, semi-desert grasslands of Prescott National Forest south of Camp Verde look like the kind of place the wispy, water-loving trees would thrive.
—Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 15 Sep. 2022
Construction of the mega-project is expected to start in earnest in the Karoo, a semi-desert natural region of the country, in 2022.
—Conrad Onyango, Quartz, 1 Feb. 2022
See All Example Sentences for desert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desert
Verb
-
Fortunately for Merz, the unprecedented security situation can be used as political cover to abandon the debt brake, at least for investment in defense.—
Ido Vock,
TIME,
22 Feb. 2025
-
Housing inspectors visited rental when kids were living alone At least twice, inspectors visited a Pontiac townhome where the children were allegedly abandoned by their mother, raising questions as to whether the kids could have been found and rescued sooner.—
Gina Kaufman,
USA TODAY,
22 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
The biggest blow so far, though, came earlier this week when outfielder Blake Perkins fouled a pitch off his right shin, fracturing it and leaving him unavailable until May at the earliest, according to Murphy.—
Andrew Wagner,
Forbes,
23 Feb. 2025
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However, another franchise mark is much more in the crosshairs for Werenski: His two assists on Saturday put him at 256 in his career, leaving him only two short of matching Rick Nash’s franchise record with the Blue Jackets.—
Aaron Portzline,
The Athletic,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Among them, there are structures built from adobe in the arid climate of New Mexico, dwellings carved into cliffs in Colorado, churches that have been around for centuries in Puerto Rico, and a New England property that’s the oldest house with a timber frame.—
Amelia Mularz,
Architectural Digest,
26 Feb. 2025
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His rugged features quickly appear not to reflect the arid expanse of Western Australia’s Pilbara region, home to the core operations of his $38 billion Fortescue iron-ore business.—
Justin Worland,
TIME,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Never the favorite of his party's professional advisers, Merz was twice rejected as Merkel's successor as party leader, in 2018 and 2021, before his doggedness won out in 2022.—
Thomas Escritt,
USA TODAY,
24 Feb. 2025
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When this innate drive for self-expansion is unfulfilled within the current relationship, individuals may seek it elsewhere—including through infidelity. Cheating, in this case, isn’t necessarily about rejecting a relationship but about reclaiming a lost sense of self.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
23 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Amarone Casks Amarone is an Italian dry red wine, and this single malt was finished in casks originating in Verona.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes,
23 Feb. 2025
-
Add half the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until combined.—
Angelica Stabile,
Fox News,
23 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Another clash is set to play out at the U.N. on Monday after the U.S. proposed a competing resolution that lacks the same demands as one from Ukraine and the European Union for Moscow’s forces to immediately withdraw from the country.—
Matthew Lee and Aamer Madhani,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2025
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At the 2001 event Venus withdrew with a knee injury,.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
24 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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While urban areas like Los Angeles are under mandatory drought restrictions to reduce strain on state reservoirs, many rural residents reliant on groundwater wells are waterless.—
Tribune Content Agency,
oregonlive,
27 Nov. 2022
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Other eco-friendly measures include a solid waste incinerator to turn waste into non-toxic ash and a waterless urinal to reduce unnecessary usage.—
Camille Fine,
USA TODAY,
22 Aug. 2022
Adjective
-
Frigid temperatures outside and dry heat inside can send your complexion on a roller coaster, leading to dry, thirsty skin.—
Celia Shatzman,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
-
The 1970s were littered with thirsty men in the booth.—
Richard Deitsch,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Desert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desert. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
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