forlorn

adjective

fər-ˈlȯrn How to pronounce forlorn (audio)
Definition of forlornnext
1
as in sad
feeling unhappiness she was forlorn when she found out the trip had been cancelled

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in lonely
sad from lack of companionship or separation from others a forlorn wanderer far from home

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in bleak
causing or marked by an atmosphere lacking in cheer a forlorn little town whose brief economic boom ended decades ago

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4
as in desperate
feeling or showing no hope the forlorn expression of a candidate who knows that he hasn't a prayer of winning the election

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word forlorn distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of forlorn are alone, desolate, lonely, lonesome, lone, and solitary. While all these words mean "isolated from others," forlorn stresses dejection, woe, and listlessness at separation from one held dear.

a forlorn lost child

When could alone be used to replace forlorn?

While the synonyms alone and forlorn are close in meaning, alone stresses the objective fact of being by oneself with slighter notion of emotional involvement than most of the remaining terms.

everyone needs to be alone sometimes

When is it sensible to use desolate instead of forlorn?

The meanings of desolate and forlorn largely overlap; however, desolate implies inconsolable grief at loss or bereavement.

desolate after her brother's death

How does the word lone relate to other synonyms for forlorn?

Lone may replace lonely or lonesome but typically is as objective as alone.

a lone robin pecking at the lawn

How are the words lonely and solitary related as synonyms of forlorn?

Lonely adds to solitary a suggestion of longing for companionship.

felt lonely and forsaken

When would lonesome be a good substitute for forlorn?

While in some cases nearly identical to forlorn, lonesome heightens the suggestion of sadness and poignancy.

an only child often leads a lonesome life

When is solitary a more appropriate choice than forlorn?

The words solitary and forlorn can be used in similar contexts, but solitary may indicate isolation as a chosen course, but more often it suggests sadness and a sense of loss.

glorying in the calm of her solitary life
left solitary by the death of his wife

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 forlorn Today, many are boarded up, lying forlorn and derelict or caught in legal tangles between former owners’ descendants; others have been demolished to make way for modern developments, with the antiques and timber sold off by owners. —Kalpana Sunder, CNN, 11 Mar. 2025 Fyah’s voice is at once forlorn and cautiously hopeful, just like the horns that wail in the background across Zion I King’s lush roots reggae production. —Kyle Denis, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2025 Forget not the poor, the forlorn, the sick and the unfortunate in your Christmas preparations. —Kay Johnson, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025 The area still had a slightly forlorn air, with stores boarded up and a few tent villages. —Tony Perrottet, Travel + Leisure, 25 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for forlorn
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forlorn
  1. sad
  2. lonely
  3. bleak
  4. desperate
  5. unhappy
  6. desolate
  7. hopeless
  8. depressed
Adjective
  • Kwong grew up hearing stories of every kind about Manzanar—scary, sad, funny and infuriating.
    — Rachel Ng, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Yet, whatever the deal means for Paul, Weiss, its acquiescence to Trump marks a sad day for the legal profession—or what once was a profession, and is now just another business.
    — Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of sad
Adjective
  • The results were conclusive: More than two-thirds (69%) of seniors felt lonely a majority of the time (50% of the time or more) before moving into a senior living community.
    — Sara Zeff Geber, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Being lonely is terrible for a person’s mental health.
    — Kara Alaimo, CNN Money, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of lonely
Adjective
  • The coming-of-age story finds a new generation of young women in Gilead, grappling with the bleak future that awaits them.
    — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Stocks had sold off sharply last Friday, amid growing uncertainty on U.S. trade policy and a bleak inflation outlook.
    — Amala Balakrishner, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2025
Definition of bleak
Adjective
  • The prospect return likely won't be huge if the Cardinals get desperate, though.
    — Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Mar. 2025
  • When her undercover operations reveal alarming evidence that a high-ranking U.K. politician may be a Russian asset, Kate finds herself in a desperate race to uncover their identity.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 Mar. 2025
Definition of desperate
Adjective
  • Despite that success, Willard was unhappy with the program’s financial commitments.
    — Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 30 Mar. 2025
  • If Amazon is unhappy with season 2 of Citadel and season 1 was not all the great to begin with, this idea that the series is going to launch into some popular, sprawling spy universe for the service seems in doubt.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Definition of unhappy
Adjective
  • Fourteen years of war have left the country desolate, and its people exhausted; millions have been displaced or were forced to become refugees.
    — Raghed Waked & Justin Salhani, The Dial, 25 Mar. 2025
  • That quality is maintained first and foremost by a desolate whistling-wind sound effect in the background of all the scenes, along with a sustained droning musical score.
    — Ben Coxworth, New Atlas, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of desolate
Adjective
  • Democracy in the United States faces a serious threat, but the case is not hopeless.
    — Laura Gamboa, Foreign Affairs, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Despite running on dirt-minded tires that are hopeless on snow and ice, these ultra-luxe restomods had no problem roaring through the powder covering the ground.
    — Tim Stevens, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of hopeless
Adjective
  • Swelling in the hands and feet, getting sick frequently, feeling depressed, or having wounds that are slow to heal.
    — Lorena Meouchi, Vogue, 21 Mar. 2025
  • The photographer asked me to act sad and depressed, to stop smiling.
    — Gaylyn Henderson, MPH, Health, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of depressed

Browse Nearby Words

forks (over, out, or up)
forlorn
forlornly
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Cite this Entry

“Forlorn.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forlorn. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.

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