desert 1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈde-zərt How to pronounce desert (audio)
Definition of desertnext
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as in barren
land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops we were lost in the desert for days without food

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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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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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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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desert

4 of 4

adjective

as in arid

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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
More highlights: a James Turrell wall sculpture (that sold for $900,000), a Robert Longo drawing of a sperm whale at Thaddeus Ropac, the restaging of a Chris Burden desert welcoming tent, Maia Cruz Palileo at Kordansky. — Tom Teicholz, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025 The garden opened in 1939 and sits among the red rocks of the Papago Buttes, with five thematic trails that visitors can explore, with incredible cacti and desert wildflowers to discover along the way. — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 14 Mar. 2025
Verb
More than 50,000 Russian troops have deserted and gone absent without leave since Russia widened its war on Ukraine three years ago, according to a new report from Ukrainian analysis group Frontelligence Insight. — David Axe, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025 The Miami Herald spoke to more than a dozen former clients who say they were similarly deserted by Farrow after paying him thousands of dollars to take on their cases. — Ben Wieder, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
Nor do the sunbaked, semi-desert grasslands of Prescott National Forest south of Camp Verde look like the kind of place the wispy, water-loving trees would thrive. — Mare Czinar, The Arizona Republic, 15 Sep. 2022 Construction of the mega-project is expected to start in earnest in the Karoo, a semi-desert natural region of the country, in 2022. — Conrad Onyango, Quartz, 1 Feb. 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
  • The decision, however, has been the subject of apparent criticism from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and President Donald Trump, who have claimed Williams and Wilmore were abandoned by the Biden administration.
    — Jackie Wattles, CNN, 18 Mar. 2025
  • After Rubio’s orders to stop work, the cleanup crews were forced to abandon the site, and, for weeks, all that was covering the contaminated dirt were tarps, which at one point blew off in the wind.
    — Anna Maria Barry-Jester, ProPublica, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of abandon
Verb
  • The last remaining Founder, Marlene Hagge-Vossler, passed away in 2023, leaving a sad void at the Founders Cup.
    — Candace Oehler, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • After his 2011 arrest and imprisonment, Ai left China in 2015 and now lives and works in Europe.
    — Lise Pedersen, Variety, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of leave
Adjective
  • Satellite imagery captured on March 4, published by NASA showed clouds of dust appearing to originate from arid landscapes in northern Mexico and West Texas.
    — Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
  • When hiking or driving through the park, keep an eye out for all of the amazing wildlife that live in this high-elevation, arid ecosystem—just don’t feed them.
    — Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2025
Definition of arid
Verb
  • Supreme Court Justice Roberts rejects Trump’s call for impeaching a judge who ruled against his deportation plans.
    — Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Gaga rejects a string of Latin suitors — Alejandro, Fernando, Roberto — via melodies that evoke ABBA and Madonna, over a thumping beat, like Ace of Base gone EDM.
    — Kristen S. Hé, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of reject
Adjective
  • According to Meteorologist Doug Kahn, a strong low pressure system rotating in the northern Plains collided with warm, moist air from the Gulf, while on its backside, cold, dry air was being funneled down.
    — Monica Mercuri, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Hydrate mask for dry and thirsty hair: on sale for $11 Original price: $22 (Ulta) Sick of dry and brittle hair?
    — Christopher Murray, Fox News, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of dry
Verb
  • Kim was scheduled to face Eduarda Moura in her UFC debut in November 2023, but the former withdrew.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
  • On January 31, 2020, the United Kingdom formally withdrew from the European Union.
    — Michael Walker, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
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
  • On the other hand, some users were just straight up thirsty right along with Moore.
    — Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 4 Mar. 2025
  • This argument echoes Noakes’s critique of hydration research, which was that studies didn’t distinguish between being dehydrated and feeling thirsty.
    — Alex Hutchinson, Outside Online, 3 Mar. 2025
Definition of thirsty

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Cite this Entry

“Desert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desert. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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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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