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
Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Click here to see more photos of the one-of-a-kind homes in the Utah desert.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2025
Omnia Saed, ARTnews.com, 17 Mar. 2025
Except for an elderly gentleman walking his dog some distance away, both taking mincing steps, the beach and the boardwalk are deserted.
—Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
Pablo Correa, Discover Magazine, 8 Dec. 2022
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
See All Example Sentences for desert
Noun
Surrounded by vast swathes of desert, this scenic preserve is dominated by the lengthy Green River, transforming the surrounding area into a crucial haven for all sorts of birdlife.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Click here to see more photos of the one-of-a-kind homes in the Utah desert.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
His paintings capture the rhythms of daily life—women draped in flowing tobes set against stark, open backdrops of the sky or desert in some, bustling market stalls in others.
—Omnia Saed, ARTnews.com, 17 Mar. 2025
Except for an elderly gentleman walking his dog some distance away, both taking mincing steps, the beach and the boardwalk are deserted.
—Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
In northern Colombia, in a semi-desert region that juts into the Caribbean Sea, its dusty roads traveled by the Wayúu people with their blankets and colorful backpacks, is Cerrejón — one of the largest open-pit coal mines in the world.
—Pablo Correa, Discover Magazine, 8 Dec. 2022
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
See All Example Sentences for desert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desert
Verb
-
Iran later abandoned provisions of the JCPOA and forged ahead with its nuclear program.—
Ron Estes,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2025
-
The administration’s decision to abandon plans to move D.C.’s elite fighter jet squadron to Maryland comes months after the state’s congressional delegation and Gov. Wes Moore (D) worked to secure the planes to prevent the state from losing its flying mission.—
Meagan Flynn,
Baltimore Sun,
29 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The sighting left the researchers with more questions than answers… but that’s the beauty of studying the ocean.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
-
For that reason, Santoro left Rivolta Femminile and in 1976 founded the Cooperativa Beato Angelico, the first women’s art space in Rome, together with ten other Italian women.—
Paola Ugolini,
Artforum,
1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Encountering one requires a deliberate journey into the arid interior of Australia — a habitat as remote as the species itself.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
-
Global lithium demand, which is expected to grow by 40 times by 2040, could outpace the limited annual rain that supplies freshwater to the arid Lithium Triangle.—
Nidhi Sharma,
NBC news,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
The company must take the job listing down and reject all the candidates that applied.—
Kate Wieczorek,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
-
In May 2023, in an election monitored by USA Hockey, CAHA members rejected Kanai in favor of the association’s new president, Brian Smith, who promptly terminated Schaffer.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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But Lawson looked off the pace in qualifying in Melbourne for the season opener, starting 18th before crashing out in the race as Red Bull gambled to leave him out on dry tyres when rain arrived.—
Dan Cancian,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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The driest years resulted in dangerously low water levels in Gatun Lake that made canal operations difficult, including in 1998, 2016 and most recently 2023-2024.—
Karina Garcia,
The Conversation,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Waltz is now Trump's national security advisor, but Gaetz withdrew from consideration for attorney general.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2025
-
The race attracted serious fundraising from Democrats, and was in the spotlight after President Trump withdrew Rep. Elise Stefanik's name from consideration for U.N. ambassador to avoid risking further depleting his party's already narrow majority.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 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
-
Hydrate mask for dry and thirsty hair: on sale for $11 Original price: $22 (Ulta) Sick of dry and brittle hair?—
Christopher Murray,
Fox News,
19 Mar. 2025
-
And after 46 years, there was only enough liquid left for a run of 300 bottles—clearly, the angels were very thirsty for their share—which ultimately bottled at cask strength of 46.3 percent ABV.—
Jonah Flicker,
Robb Report,
6 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Desert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desert. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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