as in barren
land that is uninhabited or not fit for crops
we were lost in the desert for days without food
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
as in discipline
usually deserts plural
suffering, loss, or hardship imposed in response to a crime or offense
the robbers got their just deserts
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to leave
to cause to remain behind
deserted the kids at the food court for some independent shopping
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in arid
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of desert
Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
After answering a user query about Santa Fe, the chatbox provided a link to a desert cottage in the locality.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Arkansas Online, 24 Jan. 2026
Cillian Murphy starred in the inaugural film of the series, 28 Days Later (2002), as Jim, who wakes up from a coma to find a once-bustling London deserted amidst a Rage Virus outbreak that began four weeks earlier.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
The temporary ban applies to areas within the South Coast Air Basin, which includes Orange County and non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to a news release from the agency.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for desert
Noun
Namely, that number references how Jesus spent 40 days and nights fasting and praying in the desert, the Bible says, growing closer to God.
—Nicole Fallert, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
After answering a user query about Santa Fe, the chatbox provided a link to a desert cottage in the locality.
—Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
Streets of the town were deserted Friday, many homes had their curtains drawn and shops were closed.
—Arkansas Online, 24 Jan. 2026
Cillian Murphy starred in the inaugural film of the series, 28 Days Later (2002), as Jim, who wakes up from a coma to find a once-bustling London deserted amidst a Rage Virus outbreak that began four weeks earlier.
—Jessica Sager, PEOPLE, 16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The South Coast Air Basin includes Orange County and non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties.
—David Faris, Newsweek, 2 Feb. 2025
The temporary ban applies to areas within the South Coast Air Basin, which includes Orange County and non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to a news release from the agency.
—Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 18 Dec. 2022
See All Example Sentences for desert
Recent Examples of Synonyms for desert
Verb
-
One is that OpenAI’s board has apparently abandoned its mission of safety.—
Alnoor Ebrahim,
The Conversation,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The tech mogul, who helped found OpenAI, sued Altman and the company in 2024, accusing them of abandoning the firm’s founding values and manipulating him into investing in the ChatGPT maker.—
Julia Shapero,
The Hill,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In France, 60% of respondents said their government’s policies will leave future generations worse off, as did 53% in the United Kingdom and 51% in Germany.—
Brad Lendon,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Payne fled after the shooting, leaving his children behind.—
Quinlan Bentley,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Scarlet wakes up in the Otherworld, an endless, arid landscape with an ocean for sky where a dragon roams.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Already, 10 times more water evaporates off Arizona’s arid landscape and fitful rivers.—
Shi En Kim,
AZCentral.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Zelenskyy previously stressed that the timing and format of any elections are matters solely for Ukraine and its citizens, rejecting any suggestion that the Kremlin could dictate the process.—
Ashley Carnahan,
FOXNews.com,
11 Feb. 2026
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The council also rejected, narrowly, a flat 2% increase suggested by Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez in a 7-8 vote.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Hot and dry forests become a tinderbox Record droughts and scorching temperatures created conditions conducive to wildfires in Chile and Argentina, the study found, while single-species plantations of highly flammable trees like pines helped the fires spread more easily in both areas.—
Isabel Debre,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Rinse with water and dry with a clean microfiber cloth or soft towel.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
However, that petition was later withdrawn in 2025, the complaint said.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
13 Feb. 2026
-
China has invested little in Russia’s economy, and nowhere near the amount that the West withdrew after Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.—
Alan Cullison,
The Atlantic,
13 Feb. 2026
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
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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
Adjective
-
Hey, to the desperately thirsty, even a sip from a mud puddle tastes good.—
Greg Cote
February 11,
Miami Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
-
That would make anybody thirsty.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Desert.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/desert. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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