desert 1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈde-zərt How to pronounce desert (audio)
Definition of desertnext
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

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desert

2 of 4

noun (2)

di-ˈzərt How to pronounce desert (audio)
as in discipline
usually deserts plural suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense the robbers got their just deserts

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

desert

3 of 4

verb

di-ˈzərt How to pronounce desert (audio)
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to leave
to cause to remain behind deserted the kids at the food court for some independent shopping

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

desert

4 of 4

adjective

as in arid

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Dissimilar Words

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

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

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

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

Example 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
In 2019, desert bighorn sheep in West Texas were hit by a pneumonia outbreak linked to the pathogen Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae. —Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Apr. 2026 Burning Man Lawyers for OpenAI will be allowed to ask Musk about his attendance at Burning Man, an annual festival in the Nevada desert where drug use is common. —Bloomberg, Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
As befits such an environment, his handling of tactile stuff—not just silk and fur but bread and brickwork, too—never deserted him. —Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026 But on Saturday, his powers of recovery deserted him, and – by the end of the day – so had his lead. —Don Riddell, CNN Money, 13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
The South Coast Air Basin includes Orange County and non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. —David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025 The temporary ban applies to areas within the South Coast Air Basin, which includes Orange County and non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to a news release from the agency. —Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2022 See All Example Sentences for desert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desert
  1. abandon
  2. leave
  3. arid
  4. reject
  5. dry
  6. withdraw
  7. waterless
  8. thirsty
Verb
  • If the Eagles don’t fully abandon that style, Campbell could fit in nicely.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
  • Just a few years later, in the fall of 2019, mountaineer Garrett Madison abandoned an Everest expedition due to another serac causing unsafe conditions in the Khumbu Icefall.
    — Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 24 Apr. 2026
Definition of abandon
Verb
  • Then Cash made another surprising move by leaving Vilade in to hit against Gaddis rather than pinch-hitting lefty Jake Fraley, and that also paid off when Vilade delivered an RBI single up the middle.
    — Marc Topkin, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Apr. 2026
  • The country’s labor market didn’t come to a standstill, as was the case in other countries in the region such as the United Arab Emirates where the vast majority of workers are migrants who tried to leave, but for Rozen, something new and troubling was laid bare.
    — Theia Chatelle, Sun Sentinel, 27 Apr. 2026
Definition of leave
Adjective
  • From the ultra-deep waters of Brazil’s Santos Basin to the arid shale fields of Argentina’s Patagonia, a new hydrocarbon boom is welling up across Latin America.
    — Juan Pablo Spinetto, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
  • Because the new robots are triggered by heat, they can be activated by predictable sunlight in arid environments where rain is infrequent.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Apr. 2026
Definition of arid
Verb
  • The court rejected the argument, concluding that a prospective rate hearing — unlike that on the response time — would be considered contested and the utility would have the opportunity to challenge the finding of imprudence then.
    — Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The legislation passed with broad bipartisan support in the Senate, but some Republicans rejected the bill, opposing earmarking millions more to maintain the fortified Capitol and equip it with the staff necessary to keep the screenings going.
    — Caroline Cummings, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
Definition of reject
Adjective
  • Browns, which are usually but not always brown, include spent perennials, dry leaves, cut-up (undyed) leather, twigs, paper and straw.
    — Jessica Damiano, Los Angeles Times, 30 Apr. 2026
  • Much of Culebra is now protected under the Culebra National Wildlife Refuge, which preserves mangroves, dry forest, and charming coastal habitats used by seabirds and marine life.
    — Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Apr. 2026
Definition of dry
Verb
  • In September 2025, the City Council voted to explore whether Los Angeles could withdraw all legally allowable homelessness funding from LAHSA and instead contract with the county’s new homelessness department.
    — Teresa Liu, Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026
  • The many attending assistants around her eventually disperse — a little hesitantly because Sam is in the middle of preparing a new show — and the two withdraw to Sam’s cavernous studio.
    — Jake Coyle, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026
Definition of withdraw
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
Definition of waterless
Adjective
  • In 2022, conservation experts expressed explicit concern with the building’s heavy use of concrete, noting that the museum would require an elaborate (and energy-thirsty) ventilation system to maintain internal temperature equilibrium.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 24 Apr. 2026
  • Hilgert also suggested swapping out thirsty nonnative lawn turf for more resilient native grasses, like buffalograss or blue grama grass.
    — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 21 Apr. 2026
Definition of thirsty

Browse Nearby Words

desensitized
desert
deserted
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Cite this Entry

“Desert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desert. Accessed 2 May. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on desert

Nglish: Translation of desert for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about desert

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