1
as in sad
feeling unhappiness she was forlorn when she found out the trip had been cancelled

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in lonely
sad from lack of companionship or separation from others a forlorn wanderer far from home

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word forlorn distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of forlorn are alone, desolate, lonely, lonesome, lone, and solitary. While all these words mean "isolated from others," forlorn stresses dejection, woe, and listlessness at separation from one held dear.

a forlorn lost child

When could alone be used to replace forlorn?

While the synonyms alone and forlorn are close in meaning, alone stresses the objective fact of being by oneself with slighter notion of emotional involvement than most of the remaining terms.

everyone needs to be alone sometimes

When is it sensible to use desolate instead of forlorn?

The meanings of desolate and forlorn largely overlap; however, desolate implies inconsolable grief at loss or bereavement.

desolate after her brother's death

How does the word lone relate to other synonyms for forlorn?

Lone may replace lonely or lonesome but typically is as objective as alone.

a lone robin pecking at the lawn

How are the words lonely and solitary related as synonyms of forlorn?

Lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship.

felt lonely and forsaken

When would lonesome be a good substitute for forlorn?

While in some cases nearly identical to forlorn, lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness and poignancy.

an only child often leads a lonesome life

When is solitary a more appropriate choice than forlorn?

The words solitary and forlorn can be used in similar contexts, but solitary may indicate isolation as a chosen course, but more often it suggests sadness and a sense of loss.

glorying in the calm of her solitary life
left solitary by the death of his wife

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 forlorn Near Solvang, Nomada Hotel Group visionary founder Kimberly Walker nailed it again by transforming a forlorn 1950s property into the Hotel Ynez, where hammocks handwoven by artisans in Bolivia beckon beneath the mature live oak tree canopy. Jessica Ritz, AFAR Media, 10 Dec. 2024 Any such hope would best be filed under forlorn, unfortunately. Davey Winder, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024 One perfect for blues rock, R&B balladry, bluegrass, and one forlorn love banger after another. Need a break? Mars Salazar, Austin American-Statesman, 11 Oct. 2024 Enright’s portrait of the mother is terrific — entitled, manipulative, addled, forlorn — as is her characterisation of each of the siblings whose personalities are formed, or deformed, in their mother’s shadow. Tomi Obaro, Vulture, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for forlorn 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forlorn
Adjective
  • Air France regrets this sad event and expresses its sincere condolences.
    Michael D. Carroll AND Theo Burman, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
  • But nothing in life is sadder than a reality television person who doesn't know when to retire.
    Dana Rose Falcone, People.com, 15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The 2024 State of the Global Workplace report by Gallup finds that one in five employees worldwide feels lonely at work.
    Caroline Castrillon, Forbes, 5 Jan. 2025
  • As the crash’s memory has started to fade in the public consciousness, Jim — a real-life physician, to whom the series is dedicated — has waged a long and lonely crusade to uncover the truth of how hundreds of people lost their lives.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 2 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • But beneath Pansy’s rage, often a source of that specific, bleak brand of Mike Leigh comedy, lies severe OCD, anxiety, depression, and the grief of having recently lost her mother.
    Radhika Seth, Vogue, 7 Jan. 2025
  • While the art world has felt bleak amid a buckling market, a new art fair is gracing Los Angeles this year.
    Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Even the young people hustling door-to-door in the Sunshine State, shilling solar panels in a desperate bid to become millionaires by 30, are, well, men.
    Katie Drummond, WIRED, 13 Jan. 2025
  • Repeatedly rising to the challenge of maneuvering through the film’s myriad plot twists and tonal shifts, McKellen is by turns imperiously hilarious, archly devious, forlornly melancholy and pathetically desperate.
    Joe Leydon, Variety, 13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Ratings declined, Lynch was unhappy, and the show was canceled.
    Victoria Edel, People.com, 16 Jan. 2025
  • Saquon Barkley is an unstoppable force, the defense is resurgent under Vic Fangio, the chatter about an unhappy A.J. Brown has mostly died down.
    Dianna Russini, The Athletic, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Compared to the desolate, almost alien landscape of South Dakota, the North Dakota badlands are flush with vibrant vegetation: Rocky Mountain juniper woodlands, cottonwoods that thrive in the Little Missouri River basin, and sunflowers, asters, and rabbitbrush that bloom in the late summer months.
    Erica Zazo, Outside Online, 9 Jan. 2025
  • After the twinkling lights of the holiday season have been packed away, winter can feel downright dull and desolate, especially for families with energetic kids trapped inside by the cold.
    Erica Jackson Curran, Parents, 25 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The battle between parents and tech-savvy children over access to the Internet and apps might seem hopeless.
    Daniel de Visé, USA TODAY, 26 Dec. 2024
  • Burns is asked how to avoid feeling hopeless during a stretch like this.
    Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Many people were really unhappy, depressed and angry, frustrated.
    Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 9 Jan. 2025
  • If Richard wanted to die, suicide-by-cop is sometimes a choice for those who are desperate and depressed.
    Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near forlorn

Cite this Entry

“Forlorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forlorn. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

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