1
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits
his desolation after his twin brother died was incurable
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
3
as in disrepair
the state of being unattended to or not cared for
the desolation of the abandoned garden
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in devastation
the state or fact of being rendered nonexistent, physically unsound, or useless
the nuclear attack resulted in a scene of utter desolation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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
The story ends with a description of the misery and desolation that Mishima (the character, and, presumably, the author) has felt, his fundamental aloneness.
—
Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024
The current conflagration in Myanmar will lead to even more desolation.
—Derek J. Mitchell, Foreign Affairs, 15 Apr. 2021
The air seems pervaded by palpable strains of both sensuality and desolation.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2024
How could the seeming desolation of a Snowball Earth line up with this burst of biological innovation?
—Veronique Greenwood, WIRED, 11 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for desolation 
Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024
The current conflagration in Myanmar will lead to even more desolation.
—Derek J. Mitchell, Foreign Affairs, 15 Apr. 2021
The air seems pervaded by palpable strains of both sensuality and desolation.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2024
How could the seeming desolation of a Snowball Earth line up with this burst of biological innovation?
—Veronique Greenwood, WIRED, 11 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for desolation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desolation
Noun
-
The Saudis need oil revenue to carry out Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's ambitious plans to diversify his country's economy, including the development of Neom, a $500 billion futuristic city in the desert.Democrat-Gazette staff from wire reports, arkansasonline.com, 6 Dec. 2024
-
Filmed somewhere in a desert landscape, the video finds Musgraves communing with nature and all its earthly creations.Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 4 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Originally built in 1873, the house was used as a music school, beauty shop and boarding house before eventually falling into disrepair and undergoing a substantial renovation in the 1970s.Andrew King, Axios, 9 Dec. 2024
-
The disrepair and decay of the castle was also shown in Muir’s design for Orlok’s costume, which needed to have the countenance of a rich count from long ago.Ryan Fleming, Deadline, 2 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Nearly all of them from his late grandmother, who occasionally spoke with melancholy and pride about her older son, Jack.Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 6 Dec. 2024
-
But Adams often located a layer of melancholy beneath her characters’ sunny surfaces, and those early performances had a depth that now makes her versatility seem obvious.Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Looting and destruction Roosevelt signed the Antiquities Act after a generation of lobbying by educators and scientists who wanted to protect sites from commercial artifact looting and haphazard collecting by individuals.Susan Montoya Bryan, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
-
Among others, the Hazara and Tajik minorities are significantly affected, raising the question of whether the destruction is in part linked to ethnicity.Dr. Ewelina U. Ochab, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
How can the brain be stimulated to curb depression, pain, or the effects of Parkinson’s?Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 13 Dec. 2024
-
Recognize Who is Most at Risk Certain conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and mental health conditions such as depression can increase the risk of developing severe illness from COVID-19.Essence, Essence, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Many planetary shifts and changes are causing havoc not just in the sky but also in our personal lives.Lisa Stardust, People.com, 7 Dec. 2024
-
Dangerous snow and ice have already piled up in parts of the Northeast, causing havoc on roads and roofs to cave in.Marlene Lenthang, NBC News, 4 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Such outages are defined as those affecting at least 50,000 homes or businesses, or causing at least a 300-megawatt loss of power.Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
-
Shiseido reported an operating loss of 2.7 billion yen in the six months ended June 30, versus a profit of 13.63 billion yen in the same prior-year period.Kathryn Hopkins, WWD, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
More than a quarter of North American bumblebees are at risk of extinction with both bees and butterflies declining by a shocking 1 or 2% a year, according to a report in the National Academy of Sciences.Amy Chillag, CNN, 3 Dec. 2024
-
Conservationists began tracking hatchlings, once on the verge of extinction, 25 years ago.Erika Page, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Dec. 2024
Articles Related to desolation
Thesaurus Entries Near desolation
Cite this Entry
“Desolation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desolation. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share