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
-
Speaking with Greg Cochrane, Del Naja lamented the burden on water supplies of the festival, as well as others in desert locations and those accessible only by air.Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 19 Dec. 2024
-
Sadly, the desert town's heyday is long past, and no one currently lives there.Douglas C. Towne, The Arizona Republic, 18 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Cheaper flights saw Americans choosing tropical resorts over seasonal spots like the Jersey Shore, and with the ‘70s approaching, AC’s hotels and boardwalk fell into disrepair.Jonathan Rowe, SPIN, 18 Dec. 2024
-
Many of the homes and buildings around the sea have fallen into disrepair.Rebecca Plevin, Los Angeles Times, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
But the Christmas–New Year’s setting adds a nice touch of melancholy to the proceedings.Bob Sassone, Vulture, 17 Dec. 2024
-
But over the course of the pair’s tour of Poland to visit their late grandmother’s ancestral home, Benji’s flippant manner keeps dissolving to reveal internal conflict and profound melancholy.David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 5 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The Season 4 finale ended with Vecna opening a gate to the Upside Down, leading to mass destruction in Hawkins.Denise Petski, Deadline, 20 Dec. 2024
-
Images of Helene's path of destruction initially shocked Church and Combs.Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
How to prevent depression with aging, according to AARP BYDebra Whitman December 24, 2024 3 months ago Health Got COVID?Beth Greenfield, Fortune Well, 27 Dec. 2024
-
Patients who took months of dance classes found their depression eased, a small study published recently in the Journal of Medical Internet Research says.Maureen Mackey, Fox News, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Their grievances justify lawbreaking, havoc, rampage.Matthew Continetti, National Review, 14 Dec. 2024
-
Long lamented the havoc wreaked on motorists, who will be affected by the partial bridge closure well into 2025.Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 12 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
-
The imposition of price controls is more often than not the imposition of a loss that businesses (including banks) aren’t in the position to sustain, thus the cessation of the service price-controlled by federal bureaucrats.John Tamny, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
According to an assessment by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Western monarch population has plummeted by more than 95% since the 1980s, and has a 99% chance of extinction by 2080.Fidel Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 20 Dec. 2024
-
Like mammoths, mastodons disappeared toward the end of the last ice age, when a series of factors, including climate change and human hunting, drove many large animals to extinction, as Jess Thomson reports for Newsweek.Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 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 31 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share