1
as in sadness
a state or spell of low spirits
his desolation after his twin brother died was incurable
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of desolation
So the desolation wilderness looks kind of bonkers.
—
Outside Online, 18 Mar. 2026
Only death and desolation in the end.
—Harvey Levine, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Capturing the dynamics of laborers, with a reimaging of fan covers as ornate hats, the texture of plastic bags is recreated, incorporating the clashing of neon lights to express both the vitality and desolation of street life.
—Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 18 Feb. 2026
The desolation of the desert scared off many settlers at the time, leaving Arizona less populated for quite a while.
—Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for desolation
Outside Online, 18 Mar. 2026
Only death and desolation in the end.
—Harvey Levine, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Mar. 2026
Capturing the dynamics of laborers, with a reimaging of fan covers as ornate hats, the texture of plastic bags is recreated, incorporating the clashing of neon lights to express both the vitality and desolation of street life.
—Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 18 Feb. 2026
The desolation of the desert scared off many settlers at the time, leaving Arizona less populated for quite a while.
—Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for desolation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desolation
Noun
-
The scene where Artax the horse gets stuck in the swamps of sadness?—
Redazione People,
Vanity Fair,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Family members said it’s been a long road of frustration, agony and sadness watching Hitchcock’s death sentences get overturned three times amid the nearly a dozen appeals his attorneys have filed over the decades.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But the announcement April 28 that the United Arab Emirates was leaving OPEC caps years of tension where the desert state chafed under the cartel’s quotas, and recently, encountered severe strain in its relationship with Saudi Arabia, the group’s most potent force by far.—
Shawn Tully,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
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When Allende watched the show, she was struck by the landscapes of the country — the vast desert, verdant forests and farmland, snowcapped peaks — its authenticity and flavor.—
Laura Zornosa,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The house, which had fallen into disrepair, was singled out as one of the most notable properties when the Jefferson-Seymour National Historic District was formed in 1979.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
26 Apr. 2026
-
After a faulty cooling system was left to disrepair, rising temperatures resulted in an explosion with the equivalent force of 70-100 tons of TNT.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Despite the devastation, the family has received an outpouring of support from the community, something Jackeline Madrid said reflects who her father was.—
Amelia Mugavero,
CBS News,
28 Apr. 2026
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In the two years following Hurricane Maria's devastation in Puerto Rico in 2017, overdose reports increased, another study found.—
Andrew Jones,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Still, the achievement carried a touch of melancholy for Lovell.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
-
But, but what is it rooted in as, Is the end is kind of the melancholy of the song.—
Outside Online,
Outside Online,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
One chapter closes, another opens The destruction of several Russian Kamov Ka-52s using drones doesn’t signal the end of the attack helicopter by any means.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The pace of destruction was terrifying.—
Stefano Pozzebon,
CNN Money,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And some experience the emotional toll of a disability or chronic pain that can often lead to depression.—
Mike Flynn,
New York Daily News,
25 Apr. 2026
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That study, which included doses of magnesium to mitigate any cardiac issues, found significant improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms after treatment.—
Stephanie Pappas,
Scientific American,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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If there’s trust on the back end, James can move up closer to the line of scrimmage to make plays and wreak havoc.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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For Trudeau, this week’s wildfires are yet another sign that climate change is wreaking havoc on natural ecosystems and increasing fire activity across the country, including in historically humid landscapes.—
Denise Chow,
NBC news,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Desolation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desolation. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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