forlorn

[fawr-lawrn] / fɔrˈlɔrn /

ADJECTIVE

hopeless, inconsolable

Synonyms

STRONGEST

depressed deserted desolate desperate despondent destitute helpless lonely miserable oppressed pathetic pitiful

WEAK

abandoned alone bereft blue cheerless comfortless cynical defenseless despairing destroyed disconsolate down and out dragging forgotten forsaken friendless fruitless futile godforsaken homeless in the dumps lonesome lost pessimistic pitiable solitary tragic unhappy vain weighed down woebegone wretched

Antonyms

STRONGEST

cheerful elated happy hopeful populated prosperous rich satisfied secure wealthy worthwhile

WEAK

comforted consolable joyful pleased

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.

Near a bulldozer, the forlorn husk of a car hunkered in the midst of a store’s wreckage.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 22, 2026

Russell, 28, cut a forlorn figure afterwards as he contemplated the series of misfortunes that have derailed his season.

From BBC • Jun. 7, 2026

Ian Buruma uses this forlorn exhortation as the title of his book, “Stay Alive: Berlin, 1939-1945.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

Nothing but dirt and dry, brown chaparral rolled beneath skis and snowboards dangling from a chairlift at Big Bear Mountain Resort on Friday, as forlorn adventure seekers joked they should rename the place “Big Bare.”

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 22, 2025

He could see Frodo below him, a grey forlorn figure splayed against the cliff.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

Vocabulary lists containing forlorn

Holes

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The New SAT: Words to Capture Tone

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The SAT: Words to Capture Tone, List 7

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