# desolation

/ˌdɛsəˈɫeɪʃən/ (US) · /dˌɛsəlˈeɪʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/desolation
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. feeling of sadness

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a feeling of being completely alone and very unhappy.

For teachers: a state of complete loneliness, grief, or misery.

- A sense of desolation came over him when he realized he was all alone.
- The widow was overwhelmed by a profound sense of desolation in the weeks following the funeral, finding the silence of the house unbearable.

Usage: Often follows the construction 'a sense of' or 'a feeling of'.

### 2. empty or ruined place

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

a place that is empty, ruined, and has no people living in it.

For teachers: the state of being decayed or destroyed; a wasteland or deserted area.

- The war left the once-beautiful city in a state of total desolation.
- The explorers were struck by the utter desolation of the salt flats, where no plant or animal life could be seen for miles.

Usage: Can be used as both a countable and uncountable noun.

## Examples

- The abandoned city was a scene of total desolation.
- After the factory closed, a sense of desolation hung over the town as shops boarded up their windows.
- The poet uses the image of a salt marsh to evoke a feeling of inner desolation, mirroring the character's profound sense of loss after the war.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.