DESERT Synonyms: 195 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'desert' contrast with its synonyms?

The words abandon and forsake are common synonyms of desert . While all three words mean "to leave without intending to return," desert implies that the object left may be weakened but not destroyed by one's absence. // a deserted town

Q: Where would 'abandon' be a reasonable alternative to 'desert'?

The words abandon and desert can be used in similar contexts, but abandon suggests that the thing or person left may be helpless without protection. // abandoned children

Q: When would 'forsake' be a good substitute for 'desert'?

The meanings of forsake and desert largely overlap; however, forsake suggests an action more likely to bring impoverishment or bereavement to that which is forsaken than its exposure to physical dangers. // a forsaken lover

desert 1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈde-zərt

Definition of desert next

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

desert

2 of 4

noun (2)

di-ˈzərt

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

desert

3 of 4

verb

di-ˈzərt

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

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

desert

4 of 4

adjective

as in arid

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb desert contrast with its synonyms?

The words abandon and forsake are common synonyms of desert. While all three words mean "to leave without intending to return," desert implies that the object left may be weakened but not destroyed by one's absence.

a deserted town

Where would abandon be a reasonable alternative to desert?

The words abandon and desert can be used in similar contexts, but abandon suggests that the thing or person left may be helpless without protection.

abandoned children

When would forsake be a good substitute for desert?

The meanings of forsake and desert largely overlap; however, forsake suggests an action more likely to bring impoverishment or bereavement to that which is forsaken than its exposure to physical dangers.

a forsaken lover

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 desert

Noun

As a sci-fi obsessed teenager who couldn’t have predicted the Hollywood greatness that awaited him, Herbert’s immersive desert world of Arrakis was the perfect intersection of his many interests. —

Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 3 Dec. 2024 Diriyah, an agricultural oasis set within the desert, resonates with DAF’s role as a source of technological and creative innovation. —

The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 3 Dec. 2024

Verb

The nearby fishing town of Grindavík, home to nearly 4,000 residents before an evacuation order in December last year, remains mostly deserted due to the periodic threat from lava flows. —

Reuters, NBC News, 21 Nov. 2024 Ukrainian media reported in mid-October that 18 North Korean soldiers had already deserted close to the border with Ukraine, citing anonymous intelligence officials. —

Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024

Adjective

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 In non-desert environments, human waste can decompose when buried in soil rich in organic material, according to Kimberly Finch, BLM Utah communications director. —

The Salt Lake Tribune, 21 Sep. 2021 See all Example Sentences for desert

Recent Examples of Synonyms for desert

Verb

The Claridge Hotel’s former casino sits abandoned as well.

Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 18 Dec. 2024
If the department’s predictions are correct, the U.S. would be essentially abandoning any pretense of trying to limit climate change.

Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 18 Dec. 2024