desolate

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

PHOENIX—On a desolate stretch of land dotted with cactuses some 30 minutes north of Phoenix, more than 30 cranes tower over a construction site 2½ times the size of New York City’s Central Park.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

The 36-year-old must constantly scan the desolate, drought-ravaged terrain for loose wires and suspicious debris.

From Barron's • Feb. 19, 2026

It looked desolate and black — destroyed businesses, block after block of homes burned to the ground, the mountains behind denuded and black as coal.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

Streets and sidewalks that have been desolate all day are suddenly bustling with people, seemingly drawn in by the glowing light.

From Salon • Dec. 18, 2025

That’s who the minders are like—the adults of Omelas, the ones who smile and go about their day and revel in the false illusion of freedom while their souls are withered, desolate things.

From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed