ENGLISH
REFERENCE

desolate

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˈdɛsəˌɫeɪt// des·o·late

adj. empty and lonely, with no people or life around. It describes a place that looks sad because it is completely deserted.

adj. devoid of inhabitants and visitors; suggesting a state of bleakness or misery. Often used to describe landscapes or emotional states of extreme loneliness.


SIMPLE

The old house stood on a desolate hill.

CONTEXTUAL

After the factory closed, the once busy streets became desolate and quiet.

COMPLEX

The explorer gazed across the desolate arctic tundra, where the only sound was the wind howling over the frozen, empty plains.

Synonyms
Etymology 1

From Middle English desolat(e). See Etymology 2 and -ate (adjective-forming suffix) for more.

Etymology 2

From Middle English desolaten (“to desolate”), from desolat(e) (“desolate”), from Latin dēsōlātus, perfect passive participle of dēsōlō (“to leave alone, make lonely, lay waste, desolate”), see -ate (verb-forming suffix) for more.

Usage

Often follows a linking verb like 'look', 'feel', or 'remain'.

© 2026 English Reference