Nearby Words
adjective
1.
barren or laid waste; devastated: a treeless, desolate landscape.
2.
deprived or destitute of inhabitants; deserted; uninhabited.
3.
solitary; lonely: a desolate place.
4.
having the feeling of being abandoned by friends or by hope; forlorn.
5.
dreary; dismal; gloomy: desolate prospects.
verb (used with object)
6.
to lay waste; devastate.
7.
to deprive of inhabitants; depopulate.
8.
to make disconsolate.
9.
to forsake or abandon.
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Desolateness
is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
Origin:
1325–75; Middle English < Latin dēsōlātus forsaken, past participle of dēsōlāre, equivalent to dē- de- + sōlāre to make lonely, derivative of sōlus sole1; see -ate1
1325–75; Middle English < Latin dēsōlātus forsaken, past participle of dēsōlāre, equivalent to dē- de- + sōlāre to make lonely, derivative of sōlus sole1; see -ate1
Related forms
des·o·late·ly, adverb
des·o·late·ness, noun
des·o·lat·er, des·o·la·tor, noun
qua·si-des·o·late, adjective
qua·si-des·o·late·ly, adverb
Synonyms
1. ravaged. 2. desert. 4. lonesome, lost; miserable, wretched, woebegone, woeful, inconsolable, cheerless, hopeless. Desolate, disconsolate, forlorn suggest one who is in a sad and wretched condition. The desolate person is deprived of human consolation, relationships, or presence: desolate and despairing. The disconsolate person is aware of the efforts of others to console and comfort, but is unable to be relieved or cheered by them: She remained disconsolate even in the midst of friends. The forlorn person is lost, deserted, or forsaken by friends: wretched and forlorn in a strange city. 6. ravage, ruin. 8. sadden, depress. 9. desert.
1. ravaged. 2. desert. 4. lonesome, lost; miserable, wretched, woebegone, woeful, inconsolable, cheerless, hopeless. Desolate, disconsolate, forlorn suggest one who is in a sad and wretched condition. The desolate person is deprived of human consolation, relationships, or presence: desolate and despairing. The disconsolate person is aware of the efforts of others to console and comfort, but is unable to be relieved or cheered by them: She remained disconsolate even in the midst of friends. The forlorn person is lost, deserted, or forsaken by friends: wretched and forlorn in a strange city. 6. ravage, ruin. 8. sadden, depress. 9. desert.
Antonyms
4. delighted, happy.
4. delighted, happy.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
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Link To desolateness
Collins
World English Dictionary
| desolate | |
| —adj | |
| 1. | uninhabited; deserted |
| 2. | made uninhabitable; laid waste; devastated |
| 3. | without friends, hope, or encouragement; forlorn, wretched, or abandoned |
| 4. | gloomy or dismal; depressing |
| —vb | |
| 5. | to deprive of inhabitants; depopulate |
| 6. | to make barren or lay waste; devastate |
| 7. | to make wretched or forlorn |
| 8. | to forsake or abandon |
| [C14: from Latin dēsōlāre to leave alone, from | |
| 'desolater | |
| —n | |
| 'desolator | |
| —n | |
| 'desolately | |
| —adv | |
| 'desolateness | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
desolate
late 14c., "without companions," also "uninhabited," from L. desolatus, pp. of desolare "leave alone, desert," from de- "completely" + solare "make lonely." Sense of "joyless" is 15c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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